A Past Life With Nia
by OakleyRoad
Summary: What was Nia like as a pure Blade a century ago? "A Past Life With Nia" tells her story from the first-person account of her lucky driver (OC) who desires a simple life. However, Nia has aspirations to improve herself and test the limits of their bond as driver and Blade. It's one emotional journey after another. Contains a few suggestive themes. Ideal for dedicated Nia fans.
1. Family Treasure

**This is a complete story for Nia fans by a Nia fan. By proceeding, it is assumed that you've finished Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and are aware of Nia's history. It is told from the first-person perspective of an original character, a young mercenary named Remi, whose gender and overall appearance aren't specified, like an avatar. Romance is a theme here, so that would make the OC either hetero-male or homo-female. Hopefully you can put yourself in this character's shoes. Or you can pretend it's an alternate Rex. Go with whatever helps you enjoy it the most!**

**Most characters are original to this story, but I've included some of the rare Blades as well, like Perun and Brighid. The main setting is also original, the Titan of Prudentia, which I can best describe as being like Gormott but without the giant trees.**

**As a fair warning, the aforementioned romance will bear two drops of lemon. The first two chapters lay the grounds for Nia's arrival to this time period set between Torna and the main game. If you want to cut straight to Nia's presence, you can skip ahead to chapter 3. We'll begin in the year 3962, roughly 100 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The OC's thoughts will be written in (parentheses). Thank you so much for reading!**

Chapter 1 "Family Treasure"

~ SOLLERTA, major town on the Titan Prudentia and home of the Solly Mercs ~ [in the year 3962]

"Roll call! Everybody up an' listen for your partner Blades for today's mission to Gormott!" I stood to attention with the rest of the Solly Mercs.

"I hope I get lucky!" one man next to me remarked to which I shook my head and sighed. I knew that meant he wanted to be paired up with a female Blade with all the right curves.

"Darien!" our chief called out. "You'll be with Rio!" I watched a young man accept a flame-powered greataxe from a tall, masculine common Blade.

"Palo!" our chief called out next. "You'll be with Zeno!" The man next to me walked up in a huff and reluctantly accepted a couple of wind-powered ring-swords from a beast Blade. (I feel sorry for the Blade.)

"Remi!" the captain finally called on me. "You'll be with Hatsuyuki!" I didn't mind. In fact, I was a little relieved. I'd worked with this female Blade of dark knuckle claws many times before.

"Nice! Looks like we'll be toiling together." I held out my hand for a good-spirited high-five.

These Blades were all originally bonded with our mercenary chief Reynold, but he let us non-drivers, also known as proxies, pair up with them for missions such as this. Since I was hardly the warrior type, I preferred to work with Blades with healing powers. It helped a soft person like me to never have any scrapes to whine about or broken bones to put me out of commission. I needed these merc missions to keep me from living on the streets. Within the mercenary network, I made a name for myself as a top treasure-hunter as well. But alas, clients with such treasure-hunting requests were few and far between.

Once Reynold finished handing out assignments, we headed to the port and took a ship to Gormott.

~ KLOOM FARM, of Torigoth, major city on the Titan Gormott ~

"Alright team, it's just like last time when we cleared out a Buloofo mess, only it sounds like there are more of 'em now!" Chief Reynold led us to the Kloom farmlands out back where a horde of Gorian Buloofo creatures had ravaged the fields. With the use of Hatsuyuki's knuckle claws, I began clearing away debris. Other mercs with greataxes and megalances were down on the lower areas fighting the remaining Buloofo. (Better that they're the ones fighting and not I.)

"Friends be careful with garden! Buloofo already make mess! Friends not make mess bigger!" The local odd-spoken Nopon farmers were fussy, but such bother was nothing new to us.

"Check it out! They're really puttin' on a thrashin' down there!" somebody shouted. I couldn't help my curiosity and took a gander at the battles below. (A mess indeed. Horns are bucking, weapons are swinging... Glad I'm not part of that.)

And so, there we were. Another day on Alrest. Man and beast were at each other's throats again. My teammates were probably enjoying the fight down there, getting a chance to let out pent up frustrations and showing off while they're at it. Hardly had I blinked when something in the nearby lake caught my attention. (What're those Piranhax doing? Oh no…)

"Hatty! Come with me! There's a Gormotti kid in trouble!" I shouted at my partner Blade. She dropped a pile of stones and we headed downstairs to the water, blindly hoping none of the Bufoolo would notice. (I should be able to take on a few fish, can't I?)

~ COOLLEY LAKE, biggest lake on Gormott ~

We arrived at the lake to find a school of hungry Piranhax swimming toward a Gormotti boy in peril. Hatsuyuki tossed me her knuckle claws and fed me her power. The flow of ether messed with my equilibrium at first. (Can't say I'm used to the energy flowing through me.)

"Hang on, kid!" I shouted as I jumped waist-deep in the water. The fanged fish noticed the disturbance and turned around. (Can't back out of this now.)

I took the first punch and knocked away the closest fish just as another one lunged at my face. I blocked with my claws, but the force of the tackle caused an instant jolt of pain in my wrists. Another punch and another lunge, and an assist from Hatsuyuki... and soon we had a clear line to the kid who was shivering in fear, and probably a little bit from the cold as well.

"Grab my hand!" I said to the Gormotti as I handed the claws back to Hatsuyuki. The boy seemed to hesitate despite my saving him but eventually took my hand and together we trudged out of the lake. By the time we made it back to dry land, some of my teammates had turned around and applauded the rescue.

"That's some catch you got there!" one of them hollered with a chuckle. I wanted to rebuke him for his ill-timed humor, but I was more concerned about the boy. When he turned around, I got a better look at him. Although soaked to a pitiful state, his clothes looked expensive, exquisite, and definitely too posh for my tastes. This was no place for a rich kid to be playing around.

"What's your name?" I asked him but got no answer. "Come on anyway. Let's get you back home. Can you show us the way?" This time the boy looked past me and his eyes lit up. I turned around and saw a young Gormotti man running towards us.

"Tommy! Ye little scamp!" he scolded the boy before kneeling down for a hug.

"You know him?" By now the rest of the group had gathered around us.

"Yes, he's my little brother," he told me. "Thank you so much for finding him! And my name is Ow-!"

"Stop calling me little!" Tommy elbowed him in the stomach. I shook my head and looked back at his older sibling.

"As I was saying, my name is Owen... Owen Echell," he resumed. "Our father is a lord in Torigoth." (A lord? Well that explains the expensive clothes.)

"I'm Remi of the Solly Mercs," I replied with a marginal smile. My wrists were tender from the repercussion. Owen raised his eyebrows and appeared to repeat my name to himself.

"Pardon but are you the treasure-hunter from Prudentia?" I hadn't expected to be asked this.

"Yes… yes I am," I nearly stuttered. (I didn't think the channels had carried my renown this far.)

I looked back at my teammates and noticed they had brought with them a couple more Gormotti boys in distress. No doubt this trio of troublemakers wanted a closer look at the action but got a little too close. Rich kids or not, we needed to get them back to their parents.

"Let's all head back to Torigoth." I turned to Owen with Tommy now at his side. "My chief will want to hear about this."

"My father will as well," Owen added, "and I'm sure he'll reward you handsomely. I'll see to it that he does." I was sure that little Tommy felt insulted hearing us talk like he was a runaway pet. He averted any eye contact on our way back into town. I couldn't help but wonder what sort of payment I'd receive from a man of high status, in addition to my regular mercenary remunerations.

~ TORIGOTH CHIEF'S RESIDENCE ~

We all reconvened back in the city whilst Reynold met with the Torigoth chief to expound the events of the day, including the rescue of the Gormotti boys. I looked past them and saw Owen carrying a large envelope and standing next to a well-dressed Gormotti man whose face was about as stern as one could have. (Lord Echell, perhaps?)

"You don't think Chief Reynold's going to dock us anything for leaving our post, do you?" Hatsuyuki asked me in worry.

"Probably not." I didn't take my eyes off the chiefs and lord. "It was for an emergency, and besides, Chief Reynold's rather reasonable." Indeed, I wouldn't bother sticking with a mercenary group that treated its people like disposable pawns. I'd often heard of such groups that prided themselves on getting the job done no matter what the cost. Worse yet, there were groups that went as far to compete for glory, reputation, and presentation of best Blades. The Solly Mercs had a few rare, pretty Blades on hand, and they were the ones all the guys wanted to be paired with the most.

Finally, the chiefs parted ways and Owen motioned for me to come over.

"Here, my father sends his regards," Owen said as he handed me the envelope. "There're a few rare, collectible coins inside. Probably worth a fancy bundle to the right numismatist." I pressed around to feel three coins. "It's no offense," he continued. "Father just doesn't feel comfortable giving _spendable_ money away. Doesn't want to give the wrong impression to his associates." I noticed Lord Echell didn't stick around to meet me. (Snob society, I guess. Lord Echell must see me as too bourgeois to be seen with…)

"Sure, I understand," I said trying to hide my dismay, "and thanks for these. I certainly didn't wake up this morning expecting to be tipped." I turned the envelope around and found a business address written on the back.

"Ah yes, an' hold onto that. Father indicated that he may want you back for something else," he added with a nod. "I told him about your treasure-seeking skills, you see." I felt better hearing him say that.

"And what about you, Owen?" I asked which seemed to catch him off guard. "Will we meet again?"

"Probably," he answered quickly and straightened the collar of his shirt. "I am an emissary for my father, you see. If he requests your services, I'll handle all the details."

"Then you should talk to my chief of the Solly Mercs," I advised as I pointed back to my group, now waiting for me to wrap this up.

"Indeed, but my father doesn't want a whole troop…" Owen stopped short, looked at my group, and then back to me. "Ahem… he doesn't want a lot of people to, uh…" He stopped short again. "He only wants one person at a time." I nodded my head. (Probably doesn't want a bunch of dirty hands on his prized collection.)

"Whatever he wants, just remember the Solly Mercs of Prudentia," I reasserted. I shook his hand and returned to my group.

Awkward and sudden though the situation might've been, it could turn out to be a boon. Serving a rich family? Who wouldn't want a chance to earn some serious gold? I'd often heard of treasure-hunters risking their lives searching for artifacts and core crystals, especially in Dosilla, a ruined city in Prudentia. Other than that, there weren't many other opportunities for us Solly mercs to earn the big stuff as most of our clients called on us for odd labor instead. And here I was, possibly with a private, affluent client on my side. I tried not to think too much about it on the trip back home.

~ HAGAN, cozy little hamlet on the Titan Prudentia ~ [One year later, 3963]

How quickly fortunes change… As a poor mercenary, I would never have dreamt that I'd come home from a mission with rare loot that could afford me a better life. Indeed, those rare coins were worth a humbling house on a hill. It's a far cry from sharing tents with teammates and hoping every night that it wouldn't rain. Now I looked forward to the gentle pitter-patter on the roof.

I looked out the living room window to the lowlands this side of Prudentia where the rolling green hills met the cloud sea. I couldn't ask for a better view from this house in the hamlet of Hagan. The town of Sollerta, now my neighbor, wasn't far away. Friendly farmers offered rides in their armu-driven carriages, for a small fee of course. This became my main mode of transport, especially for coming home tired from a long mission abroad.

And the missions with the Solly Mercs continued, but I hadn't heard from the Echells for a year. That changed upon my next arrival to camp.

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Ah, Remi! C'mere! You've got a visitor!" I hurried over to Chief Reynold and his secretary who handled the books. "We've got a special request from Gormott." He opened the flap of the admin canopy, and sure enough, Owen was seated inside.

"Why hello there," I greeted with a handshake. "I thought I'd seen the last of you." Owen chuckled and shook his head.

"I suppose it _has_ been awhile, hasn't it? I take it all is well with you," he asked me before straightening his tie. (Still dressed like he's going to a ball. I guess the family's still well-to-do.)

"Yes, I'd say I'm doing a lot better now, thanks to your family… well, mostly your father," I said with an awkward smile. (Should I ask about Tommy? Probably not.)

"Aye, my father wants you back, you see," Owen informed. "In the last few years, he's become rather interested in Blades, particularly the ones owned by our family." I was taken aback by this sentiment of one "owning" a Blade, but I let him continue. "He found some old journals from generations ago. They each mention a beautiful healer Blade with Gormotti features who was said to have brought the family status in the community. One of them describes her as having tall cat-like ears and wearing an exquisite outfit." He reached in his satchel for the journals and handed them to me. I couldn't believe they were still holding pages together being a hundred-or-more years old.

"My great-great grandfather wrote in this one. He claimed to have found her in a city called Dosilla," Owen said as he opened to a bookmarked page. "He and his father were there for an event, and he saw her at a procession, some sort of pageant I presume. He couldn't bring her back because, well… she was bonded with one of the club members."

"Did he at least get a name?" I was curious to hear more.

"No, but he wrote that she won that year… and most years for that matter, as if she were a seasoned champion," Owen answered, not taking his eyes off the page. "Seemed as though she brought status to that family, too." (This is beginning to smell like a cold case of kidnapping, or Bladenapping as it were.)

"Sadly, we have not seen her with our own eyes," Owen sighed as he sat back down. "She's been missing for generations, and Father wants her back. You _are_ good at finding things, aren't you?"

"Of course, but if she's been gone for years, then what makes you guys think that we can bring her back now?" I didn't want to sound like a pessimist, but a reality check was needed.

"Ah, well, since last year when he found these journals, Father has been working closely with Professor McAvas, an associate of his," Owen explained. "He's had the professor burning the midnight oil in research." He paused to take out a notebook. "The professor thinks she was lost during the Aegis War when Torigoth was destroyed by rogue soldiers of Coeia. Father says our family was nearly wiped out." I started to feel a little hot under the collar. A lot of Prudentia's inhabitants are descended from Coeian soldiers, including me.

Owen flipped through the pages of his notebook and continued. "The professor posited that a soldier took her core crystal with him 'ere, to Prudentia, I mean. This is where a lot of Coeian soldiers ended up, after all." I felt ill at the idea that her core was probably handled and sold at some swap meet, or worse, the black market.

I took a seat next to Owen and started perusing one of the journals. "You make her sound like a family treasure."

"I suppose… I suppose. To be honest, we've only been aware of her existence for a year," Owen admitted. "But all the same, Father has made her his top priority." He turned to a page full of financial figures. "We'll sponsor and grubstake you for an expedition to this Dosilla… and its surrounding areas. Will you help us?"

"Absolutely!" This was the opportunity that I'd been hoping for and I was not about to let it go. "We'll get a team together and…"

"Oh no, no! No crowds please," Owen interrupted. We got quiet while he looked around, almost untrustingly. "Ahem… as much as it would help to have a whole group on the search, he doesn't want to risk one of your lot taking the core crystal for themselves." Another pause… (Should I be insulted? Probably not. I'm not sure I'd trust everybody here either.)

"What about you, or this professor?" I asked, covering the bases. "How come your father tasked me when surely he trusts you guys more?"

"He hasn't admitted it, but I suspect it's out of gratitude for saving Tommy. Besides, Professor McAvas isn't able to travel much these days. Usually his son makes the trip and gathers evidence for him." Owen sighed and dimmed his eyes. "As for me, well, I don't have the aptitude to bond with Blades… so I can't really protect myself if I get into any tumbles, you know? In fact, my father lacks the aptitude as well. Last year he tried…" he stopped short again before taking another deep breath. "He tried to bond with our other family Blade, supposedly a magnificent white tiger, but the strain nearly killed him. Bound him up in stitches for months, it did." (Come to think of it, I haven't exactly bonded directly with any Blade myself. I've only been a proxy driver with common Blades feeding their power to me.)

With impeccable timing, Chief Reynold entered the admin canopy with Akebono, a common male Blade with an electric greataxe. "I've got you a partner. Take as long as you need an' keep me updated." With that said, he was back outside before I could even respond.

While Owen and Akebono exchanged greetings, I sat back and began to process all which had been presented to me. Having accepted this mission, I was about to make my first ever solo trip, and to Dosilla no less. It was once an aristocratic city that was popular among the wealthy and influential who were attracted to its nearby gold deposits in the river. Unfortunately, it also attracted bands of bandits and crusaders as well, and over time it deteriorated into ruin. How exactly that happened, no one was quite sure. All I knew was that it was still a popular place to dig around, mostly for whatever may be left behind from its glory days. I took out a map and plotted a path.

"Shall we be off now? It's going to be a long trip. I announced, getting their attention.

"I figured it would be," Owen straightened his tie and turned to Akebono. "I wasn't planning on tagging along." Gingerly, he returned his stationeries to his satchel. "I suppose if you find any core crystals out there, you may as well bring them back. Hopefully one of them is hers. It's supposed to be shaped like a diamond." (Like a diamond? Highly unusual.)

"And if they're not, then the Solly Mercs will have new partners," I joked before realizing that it might have to be so. Akebono smiled awkwardly while Owen laughed unapologetically.

"Just report back to me when you return from the trek," he said. "I've booked a room at the inn for a few nights."

"I fear that that's probably how long this search will take," I estimated, "and that's not guaranteeing that we'll find anything. Given the time gone by, her core could be anywhere by now." Owen still smiled anyway.

We all knew that this search was a long shot even with the clues provided. But I was up for the challenge and was eager to check out the other, unfamiliar side of Prudentia. After Owen headed for the inn, I stocked up on provisions from town and prepared for the long journey ahead. The prospect of finding this rare Blade with great healing powers was more than enough to drive me forward.


	2. On the Hunt

Chapter 2 "On the Hunt"

~ PRUDENTIAN PEAKS, divisive mountain range ~

"Alright you two, this is as far as she goes!" the armu-farmer shouted as the carriage came to a stop. Akebono and I hopped off and took a gander at the mountain in front of us. This path on which we had ridden went through all the hillside villages and ended here where the overgrown shrubbery made it impossible for vessels to continue.

"I appreciate that you could take us this far, sir." I thanked the farmer and I paid for the ride. As he and his armu circled around and headed back to the villages, Akebono and I cut our own path up the mountain. This Titan, Prudentia, was a tale of two terrains. The familiar side had all the towns, parks, and farms interwoven with the lush, green countryside. The other side was just as pretty but far more dangerous and far less tamed. Any civilization once established on the other side had been reclaimed by the land and its wild creatures.

It wasn't long before I was out of breath, and we were only halfway up the hill. I looked over to Akebono who wasn't breaking a sweat. He was carrying his rather sizeable greataxe with ease. One had to admire how even the most common Blades had well-toned muscles.

Sometime later, we reached a cleft between two of the mountain peaks. I could see the other side of Prudentia from here. It was like a mirror image of the familiar side, but I knew better.

"Shall we stop for a break?" Akebono asked, clearly aware of my exhaustion. I looked at my watch and was aghast to find that it was already high noon. Time management was never a strength of mine.

"Some progress we've made…" I muttered, "but that's not such a bad idea." I felt the throbbing heat in my knees and feet as soon as I sat down to eat. The power of a healing Blade would be perfect right now. I couldn't think of a better incentive to find this Gormotti Blade. The Echells practically made her a legend to me. The more I thought about her, the more I wanted to find her; but the more I wanted to find her, the less I felt it might happen. It seemed too perfect. If this Blade was so special, then why would I, a common mercenary, be the lucky one to find her? It's easy to be a cynic on Alrest.

After the break, we began our descent into the unfamiliar lands. On our way down, I saw trash strewn about and fresh footprints in the dirt. Hopefully they belonged to other travelers and not drivers with Blades. Drivers wandering the wilds were known to be quite unreasonable and start a fight over the littlest thing. I hoped to avoid that sort of rubbish even though I had Akebono and his greataxe with me. I saw him as more of a bodyguard than a battle partner for this trip, and I was sure that he knew it, too.

~ ABANDONED COMPLEX ~

As we reached flatter lands, I saw a few structures and a lake ahead, and the footprints led straight to them. The whole complex appeared to be abandoned which didn't surprise me considering where we were. "_Welcome to The Fayley Group Driver & Blade Therapy Center_," one sign read. I wasn't aware that such places existed. The curious explorer in me wanted to check it, but I knew I had a mission to complete.

~ PRUDENTIAN PLAINS, of the other side ~

"You'd think that we'd have more informed maps," I grumbled as I studied the map I took from camp. "We've got everything labeled on the home side, but there's hardly anything for the other side… Just a few coastal settlements and Dosilla." I looked back at Akebono. "Do we even _have_ an official name for this 'other side' of the Titan?" I asked, not expecting an answer. As far as I knew, there weren't any other nations on this Titan, so everything should've been under the Prudentia name.

"Are we lost yet? Akebono asked wryly.

"Yet?" I gave him a quizzical look. "I don't go any further if I think I've lost my way." It was the Prudentian way to know the limits. As a matter of fact, I was indeed lost, but I had a backup plan. "See the river over there? If we follow it downstream, then we'll eventually reach Dosilla. It's located right after the river splits." (And hopefully there won't be any hungry Aligo monsters along the way.)

We spent the next few hours trekking along the river banks. What a soothing sound the rushing water made. This apparently-nameless other side of Prudentia seemed more and more pretty every minute. However, we were running out of daylight, and our path was beginning to get rugged as the river banks gave way to rocky crags which split the river. Beyond the rocks, I could see the edge of a stone building. According to the map, it had to be Dosilla City, nestled on the right of two channels. Unfortunately, the rocks made it impossible to reach the structure directly. I didn't want to return to the plains, but eventually we left the river and found a gravel road which led to a wooden bridge up ahead.

~ FROUSER'S BRIDGE, entrance to the city ~

As we approached the bridge, I noticed a bedraggled figure leaning on the railing. His lantern cast his trembling shadow past the planks to where we had stopped in our tracks. With Dosilla being on the other side, we had no choice but to take the bridge.

"I hears ya, Guv'!" The man turned to face us as we started to cross. "An' whut do ya have for ol' Frouser tonight, eh?" Akebono and I looked at each other and then back to the man. He reeked of whiskey, and his hobbling stance proved it.

"Don't mind, us, sir. We're just passing by." I knew I'd picked the most predictable of words for a meeting like this. I looked him straight in the eye. (Maybe he'll see that I'm not a…)

"If ya want to cross me bridge, you gotta pay something, an' quick, too!" Frouser exclaimed, cutting off my train of thought. "How 'bout that Blade of yours, eh?" Akebono kept a straight face. "Hey! Boro! Get yer lazy butt over 'ere!" the man shouted behind him. I hadn't even noticed the common Blade lying under a blanket flat on the bridge. He too, couldn't stand straight. "Hurry up!" Frouser shouted again. The Blade grabbed his megalance and accidentally knocked over a couple of bottles in the process.

"Look sir, we don't want trouble here," I tried to reason, again realizing afterward that I'd picked a phrase that this troll had surely heard many times before.

"_You're trouble! You're trouble!_ You're… what? Yeah! Trouble!" Frouser took the megalance from his Blade and shuffled toward us.

"Get ready!" Akebono called to me as he tossed me his greataxe and began to feed me his electrical element. I caught it but immediately felt numb from the power. Frouser stopped and watched me struggle to hold the weapon which proved too heavy for me. When I dropped it, the bridge troll and his Blade stood back in roaring laughter. (I knew I wouldn't cut it as a fighter. Now what?!)

While the two of them weren't looking, I grabbed their blanket, threw it over their heads, and tripped Frouser down. Taking my cue, Akebono retrieved his greataxe and tossed their megalance over the bridge. We made our escape and headed for the city. Surprisingly, we weren't followed. (Are they really that drunk that they can't navigate their way out of a blanket?)

~ DOSILLA, ruined aristocratic city ~

There was so much to see in Dosilla, but Akebono and I crossed the main city bridge and headed straight for a column to stay out of sight. It turned out to be a good idea as a couple of volff creatures walked on by. I hadn't noticed them upon our arrival, and fortunately they didn't notice us either. We took this moment to rest and assess what had happened.

"Thanks for backing me up," I said to Akebono, "and sorry for letting you down. I guess I've never experienced electricity before… and your axe was just too heavy…"

"Don't worry about it," he came back with half a grin, "It's my duty to protect my drivers, no matter to whom I'm assigned."

"Yeah, but you've probably never worked with a weakling like me before." I sighed, realizing how easy it was to put myself down. "I'm an explorer, not a warrior." (For such a special request, Chief Reynold didn't put much thought into our pairing. Would've been better to have knuckle claws to dig and move stuff about.)

Looking at my watch and the setting sun, I figured that now was a good time for supper. It had been a while since I last had supper outside of my house in Hagan. Perhaps the comfortable living had made me a bit of a softie. After what I'd gone through today, pan-friend tartari never tasted this good.

When the coast was clear, I stepped around the column to see where we had been hiding. The front wall had caved in, but the sign above still hung. "_Country Club_," the lettering barely read. It seemed good a place as any to start the search. All the stories I'd heard about this Blade placed her in the cream of society, be it from Torigoth or here in Dosilla. I tried to imagine what this place might've looked like during its heyday. Dining, dancing, gazing at the river from the balcony… It all seemed like a romantic fairy tale.

In the back of the main room was a small stage and a podium. Maybe this was where they held those pageants that the old journal noted. I switched on a flashlight and focused on the podium. There were scuff marks on the floor. A trap door, perhaps? I moved it aside but found nothing. (Clearly, I've read too many detective novels.)

There wasn't much else to see in the country club. I feared that anything left behind had already been plundered. In a dark corner, however, I noticed an ornate banner. I opened it up and read "_3812 Beauty Blade Gala Champion 'Belliama' with Driver Hiram Derring._" A champion banner? I looked up and found the upper walls covered with these banners. Some were missing, but the collection appeared to be mostly intact. I remembered the journal entry about the Echell Blade supposedly winning this pageant a lot and proceeded to read the banners. The name I easily saw the most was "Nia," accompanied by several Drivers with the surname "Kolier." (Seems like this "Nia" Blade was passed down from generation to generation. Okay, so I might have a name, but now what?)

I returned outside to find Akebono standing guard with his greataxe in hand.

"Any luck in there?" He turned to me briefly before resuming his watch.

"I'm not sure… I found some names, but I doubt they'll lead to anything." I observed the rest of the city which was situated on both sides of the river channel with several connecting bridges. My eyes followed the main city bridge back toward the entrance and I could barely make out the wood of Frouser's bridge beyond it. "There's no way that we can scour the whole place tonight…" My back ached from being on my feet all day. "Did you see any place where we can bunk for the night?"

"There are rows of houses on the tiers." Akebono pointed out. "Some of them still have doors attached so we can stay out of sight."

"I don't think we should. They're probably riddled with rodents." I checked my bag to make sure I had my antidotes. "I'm all for searching them but not for sleeping in them." I headed for the balcony and studied the upper tiers behind us. At the end of the top shelf was a gazebo with a short pedestal in the center. "I say we make camp up there. We can hide behind the walls and keep an eye on everything below."

"If that's what you wish." My bodyguard Blade sounded more like a butler, fitting for where we were. We gathered our belongings and made our way to the gazebo. Its pedestal gave it a ritualistic vibe. I observed gashes at the base which suggested that someone tried and failed to take it with them. As Akebono sat and kept vigilance in one corner, I pulled out my sleeping bag in another corner and struggled to fall asleep.

The next morning had arrived and I sat up with stiff shoulders. Each discomfort I felt only made me wish even more to find this healer Blade. Akebono hadn't left his corner and still gripped his greataxe ready for anything.

"Did you sleep at all or were you on guard all night?" I asked him as I rolled up my sleeping bag.

"I slept a little. As far as I saw, nobody came at us." I was relieved to hear him say that. As nice as it would be to interact with other explorers, anybody could be bad news in a place like this. After a few minutes of stretching out, we vacated the gazebo and got back on the hunt.

We spent the next few hours searching every building on the downstream end of the city. With every inch of this place made of stone, it was difficult to dig around with my spades. Still, I was surprised to find a few baubles and gems leftover. It didn't feel right to take them, but I did anyway as proof of my expedition.

Once we finished with the downstream end, we stopped for a meal break before turning around to search the upstream end. I noticed that both ends of the city had larger, free-standing estates, each of which displayed a household name etched in stone. Eventually, we reached one under the name of "Kolier." Suddenly I felt nervous. Assuming this healer Blade was indeed named Nia, this was likely where she lived. In addition to the manor, there was a small hut with an open counter in the yard.

"Bear with me," I warned Akebono, "I might be a while here." This manor was spared no wear and tear like everything else in Dosilla. Every drawer was left open. Every mirror was cracked. Every rug was tossed aside. Even some of the stone tiles had been dug up. I found it curious that so many of the lesser valuable, more common things were left behind, as if a catastrophic fate caused a sudden mass exodus.

While Akebono once again stood at the front door and kept watch, I searched through every room. At the very least I hoped to find some evidence that Nia was here even though I wasn't contractually obligated to bring anything back to Owen. (If nothing else, I might go back for one of those banners at the club.)

Finally, I reached a massive room which was unlike anything else I'd seen in the Kolier manor. It appeared to be a private ballroom, complete with checkered flooring and a ceiling plastered with small, round jewels. I aimed my flashlight upward and admired how each jewel refracted the light. The one in the center was especially striking, with its multicolor luminance and diamond shape… (Wait a minute… is that what I think it is?)

"Akebono! I think I found something!" Trying keep my nerves in check, I slowed my sprint to a trot and made my way back to the foyer and found him inside, crouched under a broken window. He shushed me and motioned for me to get down. "What's going on?" I asked in whisper.

"We're not alone anymore." He pointed across the channel to a tall, muscular driver and a trio of Blades, none of which looked common. They were barely too far away to observe in detail. "I'm not sure if he saw me, but he's been staring at this house for the last five minutes." My excitement from a minute ago had now turned to fear. Were we followed, or was this driver in Dosilla all along? Soon the mysterious group turned around and made their way back downstream. I had already forgotten about my potential discovery in the ballroom. Snapping out of it, I motioned Akebono to follow me to the back of the manor.

"I think I found something, but I need your help getting it out." I brought him to the ballroom and pointed to the diamond-shaped jewel in the center. "See? It's a different color depending on how you shine a light on it."

"It's something alright," he concurred, "I'm sensing… something from it." I wasn't sure how Blade-intuition worked but hearing him say that filled me with a little confidence.

"Don't hate me for asking, but do you think you can lift me up?" I clasped my hands together and gave him an overexaggerated smile. Leaning his greataxe against the wall, he stooped over and I climbed on his shoulders. Carefully but steadily, he elevated me to the ceiling. (I swear these common Blades don't get enough credit.)

Clumsily, I tucked my flashlight in my shirt and reached down for a pocket-drill from my belt pack. Unfortunately, the plaster in the ceiling was too solid to cut. It appeared to be newer than the rest of the manor, as if it was put up much later. (But now what do we do? Should I have him blast the ceiling down? No… we can't risk making a ruckus with unidentified company nearby.)

Moments later, we heard voices coming from outside of the back wall. I stopped my futile digging to listen. My hair was damp from sweat which annoyingly ran down my face. Then we heard voices again, this time coming from the front. Were they coming inside? Throwing the cautious Prudentian way into the wind, I panicked and placed my hands on the jewel. (What have I done?)

Nothing happened. The voices outside went silent. My flashlight shut off… or did it? Everything went dark. I lost feeling all over…

…

"Thank the Architect you're still alive!" Not recognizing the accented voice, I opened my eyes to see the most beautiful Blade staring down at me.


	3. Bonny Blade

Chapter 3 "Bonny Blade"

~ DOSILLA, ruined city ~

"Thank the Architect you're still alive! I've only been 'ere not two minutes yet!" She was the most beautiful Blade I'd ever seen. At first, I thought I was dreaming. As my senses came back to me, I realized where I was… flat on my back in the ruined manor's ballroom. (Two minutes… was I out cold for that long?)

"You are…?" I felt my throat go dry.

"Nia. My name is Nia," she said as she helped me to my feet. I felt something incredible when I held her hand. I quickly let go in embarrassment which drew a giggle from her. "Well? Are you gonna tell me who you are, or do I have to guess?"

"I'm Remi…" I managed to get out. "I'm a… uh, treasure-hunter and mercenary…" My mind was spinning. The diamond-shaped jewel that once stuck to the ceiling now shone brightly on her sternum. Hearing noises nearby, I turned back to find Akebono, my bodyguard Blade blocking the doorway with his greataxe held forth like a shield. "And I think we're in trouble here."

We all stood still. Suddenly, with a sizzling pop, Akebono's greataxe shattered in his face. We ducked to one side of the doorway as a smoldering bullet bounced into the corner. Whispers were heard from the foyer… (Should we make the next move?)

A minute later, all was quiet again.

"Here… I'll furnish ya…" Nia extended her arms and formed her weapon. Just like her, it was a work of art… a long scimitar adorned with a vine and flora. Unlike Akebono's now-destroyed greataxe, Nia's scimitar was easy to hold. I stepped back to give it a few practice swings and then headed for the door. Nia followed behind me and fed me her water energy which sent a shiver up my spine.

We found the foyer empty. I was as relieved as I was disappointed. This new power that Nia supplied felt like nothing I'd ever experienced before. After surveying the room and peeking outside, I turned back to Akebono whose face was scratched up.

"Are you going to be okay?" I couldn't believe how much this common Blade had done for me.

"I'll be fine," he assured me. "We Blades don't keep our wounds for long."

"Lemme 'elp you with that, though." Nia turned to him and raised her hands to his face. The scratches were gone in a matter of seconds. "I'm a healer, y'know?" She walked toward me and placed her hands on her hips. "That's why you're not dead."

"I had a feeling…" I suddenly felt unworthy and found it hard to look her in the face. "I… really don't know how to thank you." I hooked a holster to the back of my belt and secured Nia's weapon to it. I expected her to say something else, but we both fell silent. Finally, our eyes met properly, and I started to feel better.

"You're my driver, and I'll keep you alive no matter what. I promise you." Her words felt impactful. Akebono had said something of the sort to me earlier, but Nia's sentiment meant more since she's my Blade. (Wait a minute… she _is_ my Blade…)

My face went blank as I remembered the Echells and their request for me to bring Nia back to them. Through the long discussions with Lord Echell's elder son and messenger boy, Owen, we never considered the possibility of my bringing Nia back as my own Blade, mostly because I didn't think I could resonate with one so legendary.

"What's up now, Rem?" Nia crossed her arms and took another step closer to me.

"It's a long, long story…" I could feel the heat of her body, but I was feeling more heat under the collar wondering how the Echells would take this. "Mind if we find a safer spot first?"

Once outside the Kolier manor, there were no signs of the mysterious group. I wasn't even sure if they were the ones who attacked us, but it seemed likely. The moon was bright and full in the sky. I stretched my arms and legs, and indeed, everything felt good as new. I was about to announce our departure when I noticed Nia inspecting the small hut in the yard.

"Does it look familiar?" I asked as I walked up behind her. She looked at me and then back to the hut. "Is it possible that you offered healing services here?" She still didn't answer. I walked to the outside of the open counter. "Hey Miss! Me arm hurts!" I declared in jest. She grinned and made her way inside the hut. She held my arm over the counter and the incredible feeling from earlier returned. I studied the bright blue light that emanated from her hands which felt a lot like a refreshing dip in water.

A moment later, she let go and slammed her hand on the counter. "Right! That'll be all the gold you've got!" We shared a laugh after that until I realized Akebono was waiting for us. "I dunno, Remi. Maybe I was 'ere before."

We made our way back through Dosilla with a watchful eye out for the mysterious group or a wandering volff. Occasionally I glanced back at Nia who seemed enthralled by the ruined city. This gave me an idea.

"Check this out, Nia." I pointed to the ruined Country Club. "Apparently you were quite the hit at these swank affairs." We headed inside for one last tour of the club and its champion banners. Nia smiled as she saw her name all over them. "Shall we take one?" I asked.

"T'would be a nifty souvenir, eh? But I think they belong 'ere, ruined or not." Nia made her decision and I agreed… mostly because I didn't want to have to figure out some way to climb up the wall to snag one.

As we crossed the main city bridge, I realized that we'd have to deal with Frouser again. (He'll be wise to us this time… unless the group who attacked us took care of him.)

~ FROUSER'S BRIDGE ~

"Hey! It's you again! You're that steamin' nit whut cheated me!" Frouser was alive and well, and snockered. He took a big swig and chucked the bottle over the bridge. "Say, ya got any more whiskey like whut them blokes paid me before?" (I see Frouser picked the best bridge to troll.)

"We've got nothing for you," I told him sternly. "Looks like you've had enough alre-"

"Enough?! Enough! I've 'ad enough of cheaters like you!" Frouser interrupted and spat at our feet. "Maybe I'll forgives ya if ya gimme yer Blade!" He pointed at Akebono who again was unfazed by the ridiculous proposition. "Hold yer reels!" Frouser stumbled over to the railing and spotted Nia standing behind us. "Why 'ello dere…" His voice became so quiet and deep that it sounded like croaking. "What a bonny Blade you are!" Nia crossed her arms and hissed at the troll.

"Don't even think about it." I reached for Nia's weapon and pointed it at Frouser.

"Ya gonna give me that, too?" The troll lowered one eyebrow. I couldn't help but crack a smile upon hearing that.

"If you don't move, then we'll move you ourselves." I realized that I'd never made a threat like that to anyone before. Meaning no disrespect to Akebono but having Nia with us gave me newfound confidence. Taking a stance behind me, Nia began to feed me her water element.

"Boro! Get up!" Frouser shouted at his poor Blade who'd been sitting comfortably to the side. "The scum don't wanna play nice!" The Blade handed his deranged driver his megalance and fed him the wind element. Akebono reformed his greataxe and stood to my left. The troll lunged at him with his megalance aimed straight out, but I hit it off-course with a backswing. I almost dropped my weapon from the contact. Everything was slippery from Nia's power which felt like a heavy mist. Akebono was able to hold his own despite not having a driver to feed power to. Frouser's aim continued to be impressive for someone who wasn't all there.

"Remi! Try a water flower!" Nia shouted to me as she increased the power.

"Try a what?" I looked at her before turning back to Frouser just in time dodge another dangerous lunge.

"Just stick the scimitar into the ground!" She mimed her command with her hands, and I did as instructed. To my surprise, it created a big splash which launched Frouser into the air and onto his Blade behind him. My immediate reaction was that of worry. (Did I just end somebody's life?)

"Nice one!" Nia congratulated me, but my attention was on the downed troll.

"Is he dead?" I wondered out loud.

"If he were, his Blade wouldn't still be there lying with him," Akebono pointed out, relaxing his stance.

"What? Haven't you fought another driver before?" Nia asked in disbelief. I just smiled and shook my head. "Well then… you handled that like a pro." I stuck out my hand to shake hers, but she came forward for a hug instead. Clearing my throat, I suggested that we moved along. I wanted to find a good place to camp before the night was done.

~ PRUDENTIAN PLAINS ~

Trying to retrace our steps from a couple of days prior, we traveled back up the river banks and kept an eye out for anything lurking in the water. All that was pretty during the day was creepy at night.

~ ABANDONED COMPLEX ~

An hour later, I spotted the abandoned lakeside therapy center which we had seen near the beginning of this mission. Upon entry into the complex, I shut off my flashlight and tiptoed my way to one of the buildings and peeked through a window. The things I saw in this abandoned building were much more contemporary than the ruined junk I saw back in Dosilla. (Was this complex only recently abandoned? Might be decent enough to bunk in.)

"Alright crew. We'll stay here for the night." I took out a pick and worked on the lock on the door. Once inside, we surveyed the room. Akebono took a seat on a desk in the corner and stared out the window with his greataxe in hand. I rolled out my sleeping bag and offered it to Nia, but she declined. I unwrapped a small loaf of bread which we shared graciously as it was the last meal I had left in store. "I promise you better meals when we get home, Nia."

"Where _is_ home?" she asked. "I thought that old city was my home."

"I'll be honest, I'm not quite sure right now." I felt bad saying that to her. "I was sent by a family in Gormott to bring your core crystal back to them. So Torigoth in Gormott should be your home."

"Where do _you_ live, though?" Nia looked at me straight in the eye.

"Hagan," I told her. "It's one of the first villages on the other side of those moun-"

"Then Hagan is my home." She concluded swiftly. "I'm your Blade. I go where you go. End of that. Nobody else matters to me. This family will just have to bite it." She paused for a moment before breaking out in laughter. "Hang on, that means you messed up, didn't you?!"

"No, _no!_" I returned, sounding like a child. "Your core was stuck in the ceiling of that ballroom and I couldn't remove it. Resonating with it was the only way to get it, er, _you_ out. I didn't want those marauders to get their hands on you. They seemed to know something…" This explanation appeared to satisfy her. "As for why you were in the ceiling, my only guess is that your last driver wanted your core to stay out of reach of bad ilk. Everybody knows to check in the drawers or under the mattress."

"How do you know I belonged to this Gormotti family?" She knelt next to me on the floor.

"I suppose I don't actually _know_ it for sure," I admitted, "and neither do they. But their family journals described you perfectly." I started to look at her outfit before turning away quickly. "They even mentioned your popularity in that old country club. It's no coincidence that I found you in the city, although it was still incredibly lucky."

"Do you believe in fate?" Nia asked and I nodded, "That's what it was."

I slept much better that night, particularly due to being indoors again. I woke to find Nia cuddled up with her hair and the long, swelled sleeves of her outfit. Akebono remained seated on the desk and reported no suspicious activity from outside. Hopefully that mysterious group was long gone by now.

As the sun rose, we exited the office and I reset the lock. This therapy complex didn't fit its place, but maybe there was a reason for its seemingly-random seclusion. (Therapeutic retreat, perhaps?)

"Can we check out the lake before we leave?" Nia made her way to the water and stood still on the shore. I took a moment to appreciate this image of a pretty girl by the water's edge. The only things missing were a couple of swans. (A bonny Blade, indeed…)

~ PRUDENTIAN PEAKS ~

It took us an hour to make it up the mountain and through the peaks. Every once in a while, we stopped for Nia to take the aches out of my legs. I felt well-pampered for a weary traveler. The descent was much easier, not because it was downhill, but rather it was sweet relief to be back on the familiar side of Prudentia. Home was next.

~ HAGAN ~

I was never happier to see my village. I expected it to be different, but then I remembered that I'd only been gone for a few days. There weren't many villagers out today, but everyone couldn't help but stare at us. I pointed out my house to Nia before we took a ride to nearby Sollerta.

~ SOLLERTA ~

Sollerta was bustling as usual, and Nia received several looks by the townsfolk. The Solly Mercs' camp was empty when we arrived. Evidently today's missions had been handed out and all my teammates we attending to their duties. Merc Chief Reynold was gone as well. Fortunately, his secretary was manning the admin canopy. I had her notify Owen, who was still staying at the inn, of our arrival. I gave Akebono a hug before sending him to the mess hall. Twenty minutes later, Owen entered the canopy. The expression on his face was priceless.

"I found her." That's all I needed to say at that moment. Owen stopped in place and appeared to speak but couldn't find the words. "Owen, this is Nia. And Nia, this is Owen, Owen Echell of Gormott," I helped out. He was practically shaking in his posh-buttoned waistcoat and corduroy trousers. Finally, he straightened himself out and shook Nia's hand.

"Please excuse my discomposure," he said with a trembling voice. "I was not expecting to see her in the flesh, or at all, to be honest… not that I doubted your treasure-hunting skill." He paid particular attention to her core which she didn't make any attempt to hide. "This is an honor, Miss Nia," he said to her, finally with a little strength in his voice. "I see you've already bonded with somebody, so I am in no position to ask you to come back with me to Torigoth."

"Good. I'm not leaving my driver." Nia took a few steps back and put her arm over my shoulder. I shut my eyes and waited for the proverbial hatchet to drop with Owen's realization.

"You? _You_ are her driver?" He said it exactly the way that I expected it. "Hold on. So that means you resonated with her core when you found it?"

"I had to, Owen…" I started my compulsory explanation. "Her core was stuck solid in the ceiling of a manor and we had attackers closing in."

"What in the Architect's name was it doing in a ceiling?" he asked the predictable question.

"Judging by what I saw in the city, her last driver wanted to keep her above trouble." Owen's exasperation was plain as day. We sat down and I spent the next few minutes telling him of what turned out to be a perilous mission. All the while he kept glancing over at Nia.

"I say, my father put you in a spot, didn't he? I apologize. We had no idea that you'd be risking your life." Owen fiddled with the straps of his satchel. "Nobody here was expecting a miracle, but a miracle is the only way to describe it." He stood up and brushed the back of his clothes. "I must deliver the news back to Father at once. Do you mind if I ask for your address? I would like to keep in touch and… well…" He paused for a second and smiled at Nia. "I would like to see Miss Nia again." I didn't see the harm in a Bladeless, rich boy coming to visit every once in a while. Besides, I wanted to know how Lord Echell would take the news. We said our goodbyes and he was off to the port. I discreetly collected my check from the secretary and proceeded to show Nia the rest of Sollerta. (Don't need her sarcastically asking how much she was worth.)

~ HAGAN ~

While there was much to do and see in Sollerta, Nia seemed more pleased to be in Hagan. This quaint village of mine had a couple of small restaurants, a gift shop, and a fountain in the center. Being a water Blade, she was naturally drawn to the fountain. As we sat there listening to the gentle trickle, all that had happened in the last few days started to sink in. There I was… a common mercenary with hardly a moment to make myself look pretty, suddenly the driver of this legendary, beautiful Blade who, for all anyone knew, had been dormant for a century.

After a much-needed, well-cooked meal in the village, I finally brought Nia to my house on the hill overlooking the lowlands of the familiar side of Prudentia. The main living and cooking spaces took up the left half of the house while my bedroom and washroom were on the other side of the wall.

"Not bad. You seem to be doing fine for yourself," Nia judged upon seeing my home. "I see you like literature." She found my collection of detective novels in my otherwise-empty bookshelf. "Fancy yourself as a sleuth?"

"Not genuinely, but it does make treasure-hunting more fun to act the part." I dropped my gear by the door, kicked off my shoes, and plopped down face-first on the couch.

"So, do you mercenaries take on missions whenever you want?" Nia asked as she took the chair next to me.

"That's right. If people need the money and they've got a good track record, then the Solly Mercs will gladly take them in." I rolled over to a more sensible position. "I've been with them for as long as I can remember. I usually go on the supply or cleanup missions… never the dangerous ones that entail fighting…"

"Ah, so that's why you were a rookie yesterday." I caught her grinning at me. "So… hang on, that axe Blade who was with us… He wasn't yours?"

"No. That was Akebono. His driver is the merc chief," I answered as I sat up. "He bonds with many common Blades and sends them with us to our tasks."

"You know, there is no stronger bond than the one between a driver and Blade." Nia looked serious. "You were never going to get anywhere with Akebono, or any of the chief's Blades." (Maybe that's why I never felt like I could cut it as a fighter before.)

"I should probably go back to camp tomorrow, brief the chief on what happened, and then take on another mission," I sat back and stretched out my arms. "Preferably a normal one next time."

"Take me with you! I think you have to, anyway." Nia caught me off guard, but she was right. I no longer needed to have Chief Reynold assign me any more partners since I now had one of my own. "Besides, it sounds like fun."

"Cleaning up a rock pile is fun?" I asked without thinking.

"No, you goon. Fighting monsters, saving people, taking down the evil lot!" Her enthusiasm was fantastic. "And I'll be right behind you all the way." Hearing her say that had me sold. Now that I did in fact have a healer Blade, and one so powerful at that, I wouldn't have to worry about getting injured anymore. I hoped to not turn out wrong about that.

After washing up and settling down for the night, I realized that I didn't have an extra bed for Nia. Upon her own suggestion, she took the couch. Somehow it didn't seem right, but at the same time I wasn't sure how it was supposed to be, either. I wondered how drivers with multiple Blades handled living arrangements or if they liked having multiple Blades with them at all. As for me, having just this one bonny Blade suited me fine.


	4. New Recruits

Chapter 4 "New Recruits"

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Gad…" That's all Chief Reynold could come up with after I told him my tale the next morning. "That Gormotti bloke had me thinking you were digging and splitting rocks up the mountain 'til he was satisfied." He glanced at Nia and cleared his throat. "And if you don't mind my saying, you're about the prettiest Blade I've ever seen, and we've had plenty come through the Solly Mercs over the years."

"Thanks, you're too kind, really." Nia gave him a curtsy. "I don't know if I belong here, but I'd like to join Remi and find out. We're interested in testing our mettle."

"You won't find me turning down extra help. It is much appreciated, Miss." Chief Reynold flashed a smile. "This has been a great day already. We registered a new recruit with four impressive Blades a half hour ago." (Four? That _is_ impressive.)

"Anyway, I'll meet you two outside in a few minutes. Got a big mission to Mor Ardain to hand out. You want a good test? I'll put ya on it then," the chief said as he left the canopy. I turned to Nia with an eyebrow raised.

"Proper vernacular and a bow? Was that the past you a moment ago?" I had to ask.

"Could've been. You never know what carries over from one life to the next." Nia's tone became subdued. "Memories don't, for sure."

I lightly bumped her shoulder with mine. "Are you going to be o-"

"So now it's time to make some new ones, yeah?" She seemed to break out of her funk. We headed outside having completely forgotten that none of the other Solly Mercs had laid their eyes on her yet.

"Whoa! Who is _that?_" I heard one call out. "Well blow me down!" I heard another call out. I tuned out the rest, although I'm sure most of them said "wow!" Nia took it all in stride. (I swear, sometimes I think men join the mercs just to see the pretty lady Blades.)

"Brien! You'll be paired with Goro!" Chief Reynold called out and a burly, bearded man accepted a pair of fiery ring-swords from a beast Blade.

"Milla! You'll be paired with Toshi!" A woman accepted a watery ether cannon from a common male Blade.

"Oscar! You'll be paired with Akebono!" Another man accepted my ex-bodyguard Blade's electric greataxe. I couldn't help but feel discontented about somebody else working with him after all we'd been through together the last few days; but that's how things worked here, and at least I had Nia by my side. (Guess now I'm one of the few mercs who are actually drivers here.)

While the chief continued to call out names, I looked around hoping to spot this new recruit that he mentioned earlier. As the crowd thinned into smaller groups, I saw four unique Blades whom I'd never seen before. Their driver stood cozily amongst them and looked mighty proud of himself.

"And now for the stake-out mission to Mor Ardain, I'd like to welcome a new recruit to the Solly Mercs." At last the chief made the announcement. "We are pleased to have young Ardainian Reeco McAvas help us take down a smuggling operation on his own turf. Step on up 'ere!" The confident driver stepped forth and waved to everyone. (McAvas? Where have I heard that name before?)

"As you can see, he's brought an entourage," our chief continued. "Please welcome his Blades, Perceval, Nemana, Walenn, and Perun!" Nia and I observed the four Blades carefully. Perceval, the only male of the four, dressed in metal plates and rope, was quite intimidating, especially with the way his eyes seemed to hide in the eerie darkness of his face. Nemana was a little less intimidating, although she still commanded a lot of attention with her glorious black wings and torn, goth garments. Next was Walenn with blue-tipped blonde hair, a placid expression, and a costume full of streamers. Fourth in line was Perun who had the look of a warrior and the grace of a dancer. (I can't believe this guy's luck… or skill… or whatever it took to amass such a group.)

"Also new to the Solly Mercs, please welcome Remi's new Blade, Nia! Step on up 'ere, you two!" Chief Reynold caught us completely off guard, but after a few seconds, we joined the Ardainian driver's crowd. There was noise made by everybody, be it applause or hooting and hollering. The chief called out one more driver, Surrey, and his unique Blade, Huxley, before summoning a few proxy drivers and common Blades to join our group to Mor Ardain. (A stake-out mission? Well it _could_ be dangerous.)

~ KEDEIGH GATE, entrance of Alba Cavanich on the Titan Mor Ardain ~

It was a long ship ride to Mor Ardain. Just as well, the mission was to begin after dark. We were to reconvene at the path behind Port Anangham in three hours. In the meantime, Nia and I decided to see what the capital, Alba Cavanich, had to offer. It was my first time being a tourist in many years as I never did get to properly see the sights of Gormott during that trip.

"Sure reminds me of Sollerta, only hotter and more… uh…" I stared at the pipe-works and steam-stacks.

"Artificial…" Nia finished it for me. "It's too unnatural to call home."

"Well, a lot of Ardainians call it home." I pointed to apartment blocks above some of the shops. "I swear I saw a neighborhood hanging on a wall on our way up the elevator." I knew the ways of life differed on every Titan, but I had no idea just how different they could be. I gazed in the distance to the desert that began at the far edge of the city. The heat sizzled the surface oils and made everything out there appear to vibrate in the air. (Whew… makes me sweat just staring at it. So glad we won't be needed until night.)

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT ~

On a positive note, Alba Cavanich had a lot of shops to browse. I treated Nia to a grilled salmon at the local fishmongers. Naturally, I found the bookshop, but they didn't have anything interesting. I ended up buying a shield and leg-guards from the blacksmiths since this was potentially going to be my first battle mission.

All the while, we noticed a lot of Ardainian soldiers patrolling the streets. I appreciated security as much as the next person, but it started to feel a bit much. Not being able to see their eyes made me uncomfortable, especially every time one of them looked at Nia.

~ NHARIL CENTRAL PLAZA ~

Eventually, we found where they were coming from… the empire's Hardhaigh Palace. What a magnificent sight… Soldiers' eyes were definitely on us the closer we got to it.

"You there!" One of the soldiers-on-guard approached us from his post. "Have you an invitation with the emperor?"

"N-no, sir!" I stammered, startled. "Just sight-seeing."

"Well then let's be off with ye! No 'angin' aroun' the palace unless you've got official business," he warned as he shooed us away. In a way, we did have official business here, but not directly with the emperor. As we scurried off like mischievous children, Nia looked at me and giggled, but I felt a little embarrassed. (Thank goodness a little yelling was the worst we got.)

~ PORT ANANGHAM, only commercial port to the capital ~

"Surrey, Dorsey, Falkner, Remi, Kirk, Dario, Reeco… good, you're all 'ere." Chief Reynold huddled our impressive group at the port after dark. "We have been tasked with taking down a group of Brionac, an extremist faction of the empire's army. They are believed to be smuggling supplies into the country every night through this port."

"Why doesn't the army deal with them?" one of my teammates asked.

"The army captain claimed they're all spread out with duties and don't have enough hands on deck to fry smaller fish like these." The chief proceeded to show us where to be and what to do if the suspicious lot arrived. The local port guards allowed us to hide behind crates from the last shipment and assured us that no other legitimate deliveries were expected until sunrise.

While we waited, it didn't take long for the idle bantering to start. I had expected a lot of talk surrounding Nia and I, but everybody was interested in Reeco and his four Blades instead. (I suppose I should be glad to have my thunder stolen… for once.)

"How do you manage to fight with so many Blades, mate?" Surrey asked Reeco who had his arms around two of his lady Blades. Perun seemed to distance herself from them a little bit.

"I just pick one to work with directly and have the others flank me for safety sake," Reeco answered with his head tilted back. "I can swap around so no one gets tired too quickly, you know?" (I suppose I was curious about this as well, and now I knew.)

"How did you get so many Blades?" Surrey asked again, starting to sound like a fan.

"I got Perceval first. Found his core in a crusty old jail." Reeco pointed to and winked at his most dangerous-looking Blade who wasn't paying attention to the conversation. "Must've been some life he had before." The young Ardainian kissed both of his lady Blades at his sides. "The great Architect simply blessed me with these two." Finally, he gave a look to Perun. "Aye. Got that one a couple days ago. We're still getting to know each other." ("Got that one," he says… as if they're just tools.)

"Ah, that's neat, mate." Surrey patted his Blade on the shoulder. "This is Huxley. He was with granddad before. A family member, he is! I trust him with me life." Huxley was quite a sight himself. He was fitted with almost-translucent metal plates with multi-colored pins and small feathers dangling off of each one. I was fascinated to see so many interesting Blades in one place.

"You there! Remi, is it?" Reeco leaned forward to address me. "Tell us about yours!" The sudden attention on me reminded me of a teacher calling on the student sleeping in the back.

"Oh! Uh… this is Nia. We bonded at…" I paused to pick my words carefully. "She's a family Blade, too." (Well… technically it's true…)

"She's a lot like a Blade dad was researching." Reeco excused himself from his Blades and sat next to us. "Yeah… that's her alright. You wouldn't happen to know the Echells, would you?" This was starting to get weird and I wasn't sure how much to disclose.

"I do. And your dad is a professor, right?" I turned it back to him. "Your last name sounded familiar." (Please go back to talking about yourself…)

"Aye. My dad kept telling me about her so much that I started to fancy her myself." Reeco eyed us both.

"I'm right here, y'know?" Nia glared at him.

"So you beat me to her, you did. Congratulations." The more he spoke, the more uncomfortable I became.

"I didn't know we were competing…" I said as I looked past him to his Blades.

"Don't worry about it. I like to collect Blades. The best ones, too. Only the best." I expected Reeco to say something like that at some point. "Imagine if I had the emperor's Blades… _yeah_, they'd be the best."

"Blades aren't trophies." I put my arm around Nia instinctively. "They're partners for life." The brash young Ardainian chuckled as he returned to his Blades.

"Think what you want. You know how you really feel about finding that one." His words almost felt like daggers. (Is he jealous?)

"Eyes up, driver." At last Perceval spoke. "A ship is approaching." We all looked at the darkened cloud sea and barely spotted a large ship. A minute later, smaller boats with cargo exited it from the rear and slowly made their way to the dock. Soon, men appearing to be Ardainian soldiers began hustling the cargo off the boats. We watched as a couple of port guards stopped the suspicious men who in turn aimed their guns at them. That was our cue.

I grabbed my shield in one hand and the scimitar in the other. This time I was ready for the sudden flush of Nia's water element. We all dashed forward with Reeco taking the lead.

"Surrender to the empire!" He slashed at the Brionac with Perceval's katana. It seemed to cut the air in half and the smugglers were on the ground instantly. Just as I noticed more of them aiming their guns at us, Reeco's other three Blades knocked them out of their hands. Surrey and his Blade Huxley unleashed a series of ice shards at the Brionac which caused them to kneel and hunch over with their backs to us.

Further reinforcements soon arrived, but this time they were drivers backed with beast Blades. As Chief Reynold and my teammates tied up and led away the first wave of Brionac, I joined Reeco and Surrey in battle against this second, heavier wave. One of them targeted me instantly and I held up my shield to block his opening strike. The impact sent a jolt in my wrist much like the first time fighting those pesky Piranhax in Gormott. After a few missed swings from the Brionac, I found an opening and swung at his chest, pushing him back a few steps.

"Get ready for a water flower!" Nia shouted behind me, and this time I knew what she meant. I stabbed the ground with the scimitar and a splash of water knocked the Brionac over with a thud. With a spit and a sputter, however, he was back on his feet in a rigid stance. (Ol' troll Frouser has nothing on this guy.)

"Keep at him an' we'll do a saber slash!" Nia gave the order. "Nothin' fancy, just keep at him an' you'll see!" Having faith in her abilities, I continued to fight the smuggler until I felt the scimitar vibrate and glow in my hands. I made the next swing count as I forcefully knocked the ring-swords out of his hands and the helmet off his head. Flat on his back, the downed Brionac raised one hand and put the other on his neck. His beast Blade was not done, however, as it leapt at us and caught my wrist in its mouth. "Give over!" Nia shouted as she grabbed the scimitar from my restrained hand and stabbed the beast Blade in the side. Now free, my hand was a mess, but the beast Blade was in worse shape.

We turned toward the edge of the dock to find the other Brionac drivers on the ground with Reeco's foot on one of them. A few of their beast Blades dematerialized in flashes of blue light and out dropped their blackened cores. The sight of lost Blades made me swallow hard.

"Excellent work, Sollies!" Our chief returned with some police guards who took the Brionac smugglers into custody. "You didn't even need practice, I see." Then he noticed my mangled hand. "They got you a bit, eh Remi? I'll get the first aid."

"You don't have to." Nia held my hand with both of hers and closed her eyes, almost as if to pray. I could not believe how quickly the pain went away. It was a firm but tender hold. No infirmary care ever came close to feeling as dedicated as this. "All better?" Speechless, I nodded my head.

"Blimey. That's pretty handy, innit?" The chief thought to himself before bursting out laughing. Leaving us be, he turned his attention to Reeco who once again had his arms around two of his lady Blades. "And you, my gosh… you did a whale of a waylay, I saw."

"Hard to miss, eh?" Reeco pointed to Perceval. "We'd be sunk without this one!" The congratulating and gloating continued in front of us, but their voices seemed to fade to me. I snapped out of my daze and looked Nia in the eye. Again, I ended up saying nothing, but a smile projected my thoughts for me. (I am so fortunate right now…)

~ HAGAN ~

We returned to Hagan very late that evening. I was surprised, and relieved, that we were able to make it back before sunrise at all. Walking through the cobblestone streets at night was as tranquil as one might expect from a little sleeping village. I had a lot on my mind after what we'd just gone through, but much-needed sleep came first.

"So, did you enjoy that outing at all?" I asked Nia the next morning as I dragged my feet into the living room.

"Yeah, it was good to get out there an' do something, y'know?" She was by the window, admiring the view of the lowlands. "You can see just about everything from here, huh?" I expected her to say more about last night.

"Hey… I never did say thanks for fixing me up…" I said as I took a seat on the couch. "I guess I was just… in shock. I mean, it hurt obviously, like nothing I've felt in a long time, but I was just… I couldn't believe how quickly you made the pain go away." I inspected my hand. There wasn't a scratch on it. "Anyway, thanks for that." Nia turned around and stood in front of me with her hands on her hips.

"Just doing what I know best." She tapped my knee and I scooted over for her. "I'm sorry I put you in a spot, though."

"What do you mean? I asked. "We succeeded, didn't we?"

"We did, but you… you weren't actually ready for something like that, huh?" She was right on about that. (I wonder how much harder it would've been without Reeco and his four Blades.)

"It's fine." I made sure she was looking at me. "I can't blame you for wanting to try new things. After some practice, I'd be willing to do another." It seemed safe to assume that we would only improve over time with a little training. I looked over to my gear that I'd left by the front door, particularly my shield and leg-guards. (Dang… those are warrior's stuff, aren't they? Never thought I'd own such things.)

"What was up with that arrogant wretch, though?" Nia changed the subject, but I was about to bring it up myself.

"Reeco McAvas…" I started to say. "Some people just think they're better than others. Unfortunately, many drivers think Blades are slaves, or in his case, trophies." I tried to think of something positive about him. "At least he credited his dark Blade. Perceval, I think it was. They fought well together."

"Yeah, but what do you think he does _well_ with his other three?" Nia folded her arms and sat back in disgust. "Also, how come he seemed to know you, and about us?"

"Owen's father asked for Reeco's father to help find you," I explained. "I guess my name was mentioned to them at some point after they put me on the hunt." This was not the easiest case of putting two and two together, but it made sense to me.

"What if that blighter was the one who shot at us?" Nia sat forward. "You know, back at the manor?"

"Maybe, but whoever shot at us only had three Blades." I explicitly remembered only seeing three.

"He could've resonated with his fourth right after that." Nia reminded me about Perun, whom Reeco claimed had only recently joined his team. "An' it can't be a coincidence that he'd show up to your camp only yesterday. It was my first day too, you know." She brought up a good but unnerving point.

"He's definitely got an ulterior motive." I stood up and stretched. "We'll have to monitor him, if he's back again, that is." This discussion had stressed me out. I knew we needed the day off.

And so, we spent the better part of the morning hanging around the village. I figured if Nia was going to be a resident in Hagan, then the villagers ought to get accustomed to seeing her. She wasn't the only Blade in the village, but doubtless she was the most salient one.

In the afternoon, we found an open field in which to practice using her abilities, including a couple that we hadn't tried in battle yet. We also practiced passing off her scimitar for the purpose of swapping positions in battle. I was quite impressed by her decisive cuts and slices. Lastly, we squared off against each other so that I could practice blocking with my shield. She was quick to heal me every time I missed a parry and got hit in the arm. Once we'd had enough, we returned to the road to find a small crowd watching us. After some small talk to satisfy their curiosities, we made our way home.

"Nia? You ready for another battle mission tomorrow?" I asked, closing the door behind us.

"I was hoping you'd ask," she replied, "but are you sure you're up for it?" A good question, indeed. I felt prepared to fight alongside my mercenary teammates again, but still I remained wary about Reeco. Was I worrying needlessly, or was my new Ardainian teammate actually a threat?


	5. Partners Sublime

Chapter 5 "Partners Sublime"

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Well, there he is…" I spotted Reeco immediately upon our arrival to camp the next morning. The crowds were as big as ever, and most of their attention were on the Ardainian's Blade entourage. Nobody hollered nor whistled at Nia this time as we brought up the rear of the crowd.

"We're old news now, huh?" she said oxymoronically.

"That's fine. We don't need to be on the spot." I looked over at Nia who returned a pouting lower lip. "What? You liked it?"

"Not in the way that they were looking at me, no way." She turned back to the crowd. "But maybe I want to be noticed… by what I can do, not by how I look. Is that a flaw?"

"Absolutely not!" I was quick to answer. "There's nothing wrong in wanting to show your stuff… your skills, I mean." Having said this, I pictured Nia in her past life, winning everybody over at the Dosilla Country Club. "Yeah… I'm sure there's something out there for you to do that'll garner admiration."

"We…" Nia started to speak. "_We_ will do something. I can't… or won't do anything alone." She was sure winning me over in saying that.

"We'll be partners sublime," I chimed. "We'll be the dream tea-" Nia halted my clichés with an elbow jab to my side.

"Listen up! We've got a request from the Argentum Trade Guild," Chief Reynold announced. "They asked for the best." (Argentum? I wonder if this call came from the chairman.)

As I expected, our chief formed nearly the same team as what we had in Mor Ardain. There was no sign of Surrey and his Blade Huxley though. Once assembled, we took a ship to Argentum.

~ GOLDMOUTH RETURN PORT, public port of Argentum ~

It didn't take long to reach the Argentum Trade Guild. I'd been here many times before as a customer and a trader, but this was my first time on assignment to the guild. We didn't have time to shop beforehand as we were met at the dock by one of the chairman's controlling officers.

"Right then. They've got squatters kippin' in their warehouse an' they want us to get 'em out," Chief Reynold instructed after talking to the officer. "Sounds like they get violent when pestered."

"Is that all?" Reeco looked disappointed.

"No talent is ever wasted in a task big or small, mate. As long as we're helping people, that's all that matters." The chief gave him a pat on the back to try to pep him up. "All good? Right. Let's go an' don't wander off!"

~ ARGENTUM BAZAAR ~

The officer led us through the massive building to the salvage deck. Indeed, it was tempting to check out the shops, but they would have to wait. As we neared the salvage deck, we were introduced to a frantic female Nopon.

~ SALVAGE DECK ~

"Lesalesa thank friends for helping in time of need!" The proprietress Nopon pointed to the Goldmouth Warehouse. "Scum squatter lot barge in back and let no one in! They no sign lease either!" Once she composed herself, she showed us to the warehouse door, opened it, and quickly ducked to one side. (Are they really that bad in there?)

"Blimey 'ell, mate!" Chief Reynold took two steps back and covered his face. "That odor is fouler than foul!" The smell from inside the warehouse was so bad that I swore I could see it in the air.

"Now what? They brought more with 'em this time!" one of the squatters exclaimed. He grabbed a wind-powered ether cannon and started firing at us. Four more of them joined in and forcefully blew us out. My shield blocked every burst, but still I couldn't hold my ground. With the range advantage to the squatters and their wind Blades, we needed a different approach.

Without a word, Reeco and Nemana stepped forward, as if to dare the squatters to attack. When they all fired at him, his winged Blade leapt in front of him and absorbed all of the expelled wind ether with her dark shield-hammer. The squatters looked at their cannons before shouting obscenities back to their Blades. We took that moment to press onward and take the fight up-close. It was trickier than I thought to get a hit in with every shot from their cannons pushing and sliding me around. Reeco switched lead Blades to Walenn to go on the offensive with her icy knuckle claws and told Nemana to continue absorbing the opposing wind ether from a higher vantage point.

"Hydro blast 'em an' I'll follow it up!" Nia ordered behind me. I kept swinging until the scimitar started to glow in my hand. Upon the next hit, I watched Nia's energy transfer from the weapon and appear to seep into the perpetrators' skin. A moment later, they dropped to their knees and fell over, one-by-one. Upon seeing their sudden exhaustion, I turned to Nia who wiped her hands together in satisfaction.

"What happened? What did you do?" I asked, almost sounding like I was trying to defend them.

"I guess you could say I sucked the energy right out of 'em." She stepped forward to pull me back by the shirt. "Okay, don't need to be standin' near 'em anymore." I had almost forgotten about the bad smell and I dared not to find out where it was coming from. The rest of my teammates held their breath as they dragged away the now-sleeping squatters and their Blades.

"Meh. Squatters make shambles out of Lesalesa's warehouse. Will take disinfecting for weeks!" The proprietress Nopon returned with a modest squad of Nopon guards who had the unfortunate task of cleaning out the warehouse. I couldn't see their faces under their gas-masks, but I'm sure they had the looks of disgust and horror.

"Well Sollies, you done a fine day's duty in only a serviceman's lunch break." Chief Reynold returned from briefing the guild on what had just taken place. "As it is, the next ship back to Prudentia won't be off for another four hours."

"Come on then, Rem!" Nia grabbed my arm. "You 'eard the chief. We've got time. Let's check this place out!" I couldn't think of a better idea myself.

~ ARGENTUM BAZAAR ~

"Shucks. If I'd known that we'd be in Argentum today, I'd have brought some gems with me to sell or trade." I kept eyeing the jewelry tables. "I bet they would've remembered me."

"You really like hunting for treasure, huh?" Nia asked between sips of her fizz drink.

"Well… I mean, I'm _good_ at it." I wasn't sure why I was trying to be modest about it. We continued to browse the bazaar until I found the book shop in the corner. "Oh, nice! They have it." I picked up a book titled "Tales of Noporikh" and asked the seller for a price.

"What've you got there?" Nia peered over my shoulder. "Hmm… doesn't look like a detective novel."

"Right. This one's about the great Nopon driver, Noporikh…" I looked at Nia who stared back at me blankly. "He was a great salvager and adventurer, and people have been seeking out his treasures for years."

"You nerd." She teased. "And I suppose one of his treasures was his Blade's core crystal?"

"Hey now. I'm not going to look for it. They say this book's a good read." I paid for the book and soon we were on our way upstairs.

There, on a bulletin board, an unusual poster caught my attention. It headlined "_3963 Cloud Sea Championship! Buy your tickets now! Presented by the Argentum Trade Guild._" It was promoting an annual battle tournament that pitted four nations against each other, Mor Ardain, Uraya, Prudentia, and Regideria. (I can totally see Reeco trying to take on everybody there. I was never really that interested in it, anyway.)

We dined and reclined at the canteen for the next hour. Nia enjoyed a succulent marine stir-fry while I just ordered lightly-fried rice. I suspected that the gross scene from earlier had curtailed my appetite. Having finished early, I let my eyes wonder about. It seemed like people from all over Alrest were here in Argentum. Since we all lived on Titans, it wasn't easy to gather different kinds of people in one place. Finally, my eyes settled on my partner in front of me.

"What's up?" She caught me staring at her and this time I made no attempt to avert.

"Just… you know, appreciating having you here." I hoped she didn't mind. "I've only had you… er, we've only been partners for four days, but it feels longer than that."

"Yeah… going places make for long days." She pushed her plate in and rested her head on her hands.

"Well of course, but I mean… for me, it's been a whirlwind of a week." I sat forward and mimicked her posture. "One week ago, I… I was still a loner." I wasn't sure where I was going with this.

"A loner…" she repeated in a low tone. "How do you mean?" I couldn't come up with an answer immediately.

"I don't have any close friends. And my parents were never really a part of my life…" I realized after I spoke that my answer got deeper and dodgier than I meant for it to be.

"What 'appened to 'em? Your parents, I mean… if you don't mind my asking." She lowered her hands and started fiddling with her napkin.

"Not sure, really. They left me at an orphanage before I was old enough to remember." I was surprised that I answered that one as easily as I did. "It was probably just my mother at that point. Probably couldn't take care of me anymore." Nia looked unhappy upon hearing this. "Fortunately, the orphanage was linked to a school which in turn led me to the Solly Mercs." She was glad that I gave my story a decent turn.

"I'm sorry about that, Remi," she sympathized. "I never thought to ask. I just assumed you had it like anyone else."

"Hey now. I'm not depressed about it. I'm not crying. I'm dealing with it." I found the irony in my sounding like I was cheering her up after sharing my undesirable past. "I was… just okay before, and now that I have you as my partner, I'm doing better than okay. It's all new to me right now."

"You like to call me your partner," she observed. "Why is that?"

"I've always seen Blades as partners, at least when drivers appreciate them." Again, I felt like I was dodging my point a little bit. (What _is_ my point, though? I need to stop talking before I know exactly what I want to say.)

"You see me as something… _more?_" She raised one brow. "More than just a Blade?" I knew she had me there.

"Like I said, it's all been new to me," I tried again. "The hanging out, the fighting bad guys together, the healing…" I paused on purpose to watch her reaction. "I know it's your thing, but you put such care and dedication into it. I'm not used to someone… caring for me." (Did I say too much again?)

She didn't say anything more, but her smile put me at ease. I didn't realize how much panic I was feeling until after I had calmed down. (If there's anyone I should be able to talk to about anything, it's her, and this ain't easy.)

"I think I can read you better than you can read your books," she spoke with a mischievous grin.

"Alright then. What am I thinking?" I volleyed it back to her.

"No, no. _You_ have to say it," she returned swiftly.

"I confess to speaking too early, then." I sat back and wiped the sweat off my forehead. "I still need to figure out what's going on in my head."

"When you figure it out, you let me know." She stood up and put our trash away. "I'll be waiting."

~ GOLDMOUTH FLIGHT DECK ~

For the next two hours, we wandered around the flight deck, the top floor of Argentum. Naturally, it was pretty windy up here. Nia's outfit fluttered constantly, but she didn't mind. Eventually, we sat ourselves down to watch a little variety show on one of the partitioned decks. Most of the performers were little Nopon kids trying their luck at harmless magic tricks. In my peripheral vision, I noticed Perun standing alone by a railing. (Huh… where is Reeco?)

"Fun little shindig, eh?" I asked as we approached her. "Odd to see you away from your driver." She looked at us and sighed.

"It's not so odd, actually." She turned around and rested her elbows on the railing. "I try to get away from him any time I can." This statement of hers didn't surprise us one bit.

"He doesn't… y'know… _abuse_ you, does he?" Nia asked with a worried look. Perun laughed for a second but caught herself.

"No, not yet. I guess I'm… lucky?" She looked around which made Nia and I do the same. "They like it rough. I hear them some nights, when he asks me to stand guard." Hearing that made Nia shiver. "This is not what I want to be doing with my life. I feel like I should be helping people, not helping him score."

"We just wanted to let you know that you're all right with us!" Nia consoled.

"I envy you two, you know?" Perun closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You take the bond seriously, and it sho-"

"Hey! Get away from her!" Startled, we turned around to find Reeco and his other three Blades sprinting toward us. "If I can't have yours then you can't have mine, you hear?!" He pointed Perceval's katana at me.

"Well now, I didn't know you cared about me," Perun jived with a hint of sarcasm.

"Shut it, you!" Reeco squinted at her before turning his attention back to me.

"Put it down," I ordered sternly, "or else I'll have the police on you." Noticing everybody staring at us, Reeco handed the weapon back to Perceval.

"We should be off. Ship's leavin' soon. Don't want to miss it now, do we?" Reeco said with a much calmer tone.

"You came up here just to tell me that, right?" I foolishly tossed out to him.

"Yeah, that's it. See? I'm not such a bad person after all." With that, he put his arms around Nemana and Walenn and led his entourage back inside. I slowly breathed in and coughed lightly as I tried to slowly breathe out.

"You okay, Rem?" Nia checked as I struggled to keep my legs from shaking.

"I'll be alright," I managed to get out, "but, uh, let's wait a minute before going back down there."

~ GOLDMOUTH RETURN DECK ~

"Ah good, y'all made it back," Chief Reynold said after taking a headcount. "Of course, if you had other means of getting back home earlier, you could've taken that. I did mention that, right?" Somebody in our group groaned audibly which made everybody else chuckle. I wanted to laugh with them, but I was still feeling a little shaken from the confrontation on the flight deck.

"By the way, does anybody need tickets to the Cloud Sea Championships coming in a month? They're cheaper here at Argentum." The chief was referring to the international competition as advertised on the poster that I saw earlier. "This could be the last year they do it."

"Why is that?" a teammate asked.

"It's Mor Ardain, Uraya, Regideria, and us, right? Well you know, Mor Ardain and Uraya haven't been getting along lately," Chief Reynold explained, keeping his voice low. "It's getting too political. They might take it too personally." Curiously, Reeco, an Ardainian, kept his mouth shut. "Argentum doesn't want to pull the plug on it, though. It's such a big profit to them," the chief continued. He looked around and rubbed his chin. "Anybody here wanna compete? The Solly Mercs have sponsored its own drivers before." That got everybody talking.

"What do ya think, Remi?" Nia turned to me. "It could be fun." I didn't answer as I was partially distracted by our ship coming in. She tugged at my sleeve and gave me the impatient look. All I could do was shrug my shoulders. (Something doesn't feel right…)

Seeing as nobody needed to run back for anything and the ship was ready, we boarded and headed back to Prudentia.

~ HAGAN ~

Once again, I couldn't be gladder to see the friendly cobblestone streets of Hagan village. It was still late afternoon, but I felt ready for sleep anyway. At any rate, I mustered enough energy for a relaxing dinner at one of the village restaurants. My appetite still hadn't returned though, which started to concern me.

When we made it back home, I saw a piece of mail waiting for me. I recognized the return address.

"It's from Owen. Good gosh I'd forgotten about him." I hurriedly opened the envelope to read the letter and out dropped a couple of roundtrip tickets to Gormott.

"_Dear Remi_," the letter read, "_I hope all is well in Prudentia. My father sends his thanks and gratitude to you for finding our Blade, even though it should've been impossible given the time gone by. We have accepted the current state of affairs and wish to assure you that we bear no ill will regarding her bond to you. Furthermore, we extend an invitation to you and Miss Nia to visit our estate in Torigoth on the date printed on the tickets included. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Best regards, Owen Echell_."

"I wonder if they're not saying everything," Nia speculated.

"Of course they haven't said it all in a letter, but I wouldn't call it suspicious." I handed her the letter while I picked up the tickets off the floor. They had a departure date of one week from now. "The worse that can happen is that they ask me to order someone to deliver your core to their family once I'm… you know, done living." Even though I said it out loud, I wasn't comfortable with the idea. Nia certainly wasn't having it. "Nia… you know I'm not going to kick it anytime soon." I tried to bring the mood up. We stood there staring at each other until a cough from me broke the silence.

"So, are you going to visit them?" she asked, getting us back on topic.

"Yes, I'd say so. Gormott is beautiful, but I never got to check it out fully last time." I kicked off my shoes and left my gear by the front door. "We can make a vacation out of it. Torigoth is like Hagan, only thrice bigger." This perked her up a little bit.

"Alright, alright… we'll do it," she conceded. "I go where you go, anyway."

"That's the spirit! …I think." I headed for my bedroom as she stuck her tongue at me. "Goodnight!"

Unfortunately, it was not a good night. I woke up the next morning feeling awful. In fact, it was my own coughing that woke me.

"Blast it, Ni-" I could barely speak without coughing. "I caught a bug…"

"You don't look so hot." Nia got up from the couch and sat me down. "Skin's a little pale, Rem." I tried to lean back but it only made me cough more. "Is your head spinning? How many fingers am I holding up? She held up one hand.

"Fifty-four," I joked and started to laugh but another series of coughs took over. "My head _is_ spinning a little bit." Nia fetched me a cup of water, but it hurt to swallow. "Thanks, though."

"Was it something you ate?" She poured me another glass.

"No, I think it was something rancid from the warehouse." I coughed again. "I wonder if anyone else got sick." I turned to Nia and noticed that she was perfectly fine. "You seem okay though."

"Blades can't get sick." She walked to the window and let out a big sigh, fogging the glass pane. "We can perish from extremes, but we can't get sick."

"Lucky." I tried to clear my throat, but it became too painful. "If only my throat wasn't sore… ugh, I could deal with the rest."

"Let me try something," Nia offered as she returned to the couch and placed a hand just below my neck. I watched as her hand emitted the familiar blue light and I felt a much-appreciated cool rush. After waiting a moment, the cool feeling dissipated, taking the soreness with it. I coughed again, but this time it didn't hurt nearly as much. "I thought so. I can only heal damage, not ailments." She lowered her hand to feel my heartbeat and rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? What do you mean? I feel better, thanks to you." I put my arm around her and pulled her closer. We were relaxed by the quietude of the morning, which was intermingled only by my random coughing and the sound of the wind outside. I wasn't sure if she fell asleep next to me, but I sure felt like nodding off again. There was no way that we were going out for more battle missions anytime soon. (Reeco will probably think that he scared me off, unless he's out sick too.)

My main concern was how long this illness was going to take. No mercenary missions, no money. I also wondered if this illness was going to prevent me from making the trip to Gormott since the tickets were already paid for. The dizziness was getting worse and it became harder to keep thinking about these things.

Three more days had gone by before I started to improve, although medicine tasted awful. I hardly ate anything full. Nia brought me simple meals from the restaurants and cooked a thing or two herself. The villagers had come to accept their new Blade neighbor. At least, I assumed as much. She continued to heal the soreness and followed it up with shared quiet time every day.

Eventually, I improved enough set foot outside again and was greeted by the refreshing air and revitalizing sunshine.

"Look at what you missed," Nia teased from behind.

"It's about time I can function again." I turned to look at her and we smiled for the first time in a while. "I've actually spent more time being your sick patient than being your able partner." It was also the first time I used the word "partner" since Argentum. (Didn't realize I'd subconsciously shied away from saying it.)

"Glad to have you back… _partner_." She pushed me outside and shut the door behind her.

"I'm mostly back, anyway," I guessed as I locked up. "So, it's okay that I call you that?"

"Yeah, it's alright." She slipped her arm around mine. "But you still have to tell me how you mean it."

"I'm still working on it, in my head," I reassured. "Didn't help to be bedridden for so long, but I've been thinking about it." We began our walk through Hagan. Despite the lingering urge to cough and the unsolved mystery of our Dosilla assailant, all seemed well on Alrest. We had one more day to mill around before our trip to Gormott. The more we talked about it, the more I looked forward to it. Nia began to warm up to it, too. It was going to be the first time in centuries that she'd return home, her _original_ home.


	6. Personal Request

Chapter 6 "Personal Request"

~ HAGAN ~

"You nervous about Gormott?" I asked Nia as I zipped up my bag of clothes for our trip.

"No… should I? For all I know, everybody could've made it up that I came from there." She had a valid point, but I felt pretty safe that all of these stories and theories about her past were true.

"You don't think it's a coincidence that you look like a Gormotti?" I was staring at her stately ears when I spoke. "Okay, maybe not _exactly_ like a Gormotti, but you do have similarities." She didn't appear to care for the racial comparison.

"What's _your_ background, by the way, Remi?" It seemed fair for her to ask me that.

"I think I'm half-Coiean, half-Leftherian." I tried hard to remember. "At least, I think that's what was on my registration card at the orphanage. I really should've kept it when I moved on up."

"Ah, and how long were you there?" she asked next.

"I was there until I was thirteen, and then I bounced around foster families until I was sixteen. That's basically how it went for us." I was glad that she was interested in my timeline. "Once I was old enough, I joined the Solly Mercs. The schoolmaster knew the chief, and… you know, recommendations were made."

As it turned out, it wasn't until I went on missions with the Solly Mercs that I started to see the rest of Alrest. Pictures in textbooks only did so much. Visiting other Titans provided the _real_ experience. Once we were ready, we locked up and set off.

~ SOLLERTA ~

We had half an hour before our ship's departure to Gormott, so I made a stop by the Solly Mercs' camp. I planned on updating the chief on my situation, but he wasn't in.

"Oh, Chief Reynold has been out sick for a week," his secretary informed us. "We've been limited to local cleanup missions in the meantime."

"I was out sick as well," I explained, "and I'll be out again… on business, for a few days." (I suppose with my relationship to the Echells, it _can_ be considered business.)

"Oh no! Well you look much better now, Remi." The secretary finished writing in the logbook and closed it. "Maybe that's what happened to everyone else then. I haven't seen some of our other drivers for a while." (Sheesh. What a costly mission Argentum turned out to be.)

"Has Reeco McAvas been in lately?" I asked compulsively.

"Mr. McAvas?" She reopened the logbook and flipped a few pages. "Hmm… No, he hasn't been in since Argentum last week." I assumed that the headstrong Ardainian had suffered the same fate as I. We thanked the secretary for her time and then we headed to the port. Gormott was next.

~ GALAD RESIDENTIAL ZONE, of Torigoth ~

For once I enjoyed a ship ride to another Titan. Perhaps it was because this was my first "paid vacation" as I saw it. Nia still didn't see it as a vacation, but I hoped that the local flair would change her opinion. There was something immediately friendly about Torigoth, even as we were pulling up to the residential dock.

~ TRETL WINDMILL PLAZA ~

We made our way upstairs to the main part of town where people were enjoying another day in the life. I could tell that Nia was taking to it. We weren't sure what to focus on first. Gormotti children were playing torigondas expertly by the fountain. The open deck restaurant had eager customers lining up for a table. There were deals being made left and right at the marketplace. Eventually, she led me to one of the food carts.

~ ABBLE'S FOUNTAIN ~

"Cream orange paratha…" she took a bite and sighed in delight. "My favorite."

"I haven't seen you have it before. How do you know it's your favorite?" I asked as I enjoyed a deluxe ham on toast.

"I must have always liked it… from past lives." Her guess made sense to me. We were seated by the fountain listening to the music of the torigondas. I had previously described Torigoth as a larger Hagan, but I hadn't remembered this place being quite so lively. It gave the impression of a festival. There was a positive vibe about it, although I began to notice a few Ardainian soldiers out of place. (Where had they come from? I didn't see an Ardainian ship when we docked.)

"We've got just enough time to drop off our stuff at the inn before we're expected at the Echell's," I announced upon checking my watch. Fortunately, both places were close by. I had to admit that I was starting to feel a tiny bit nervous since I hadn't yet talked to Lord Echell himself, face-to-face.

~ HOUSE OF ECHELL ~

"Remi! Nia! Glad you made it." Owen greeted us at the door. "Come in! Leave your shoes on the rack." The inside of their house was a lot smaller than I had imagined, but it made sense with most residences being connected to each other in Torigoth. "Please, have a seat while I go fetch my father."

Fittingly, they had a gramophone playing old symphonies and every available wall space displayed some kind of treasure. They had a couple of ornate swords fitted over the mantle. (These are probably their less-valuable things. I bet he keeps his most prized possessions in his bedroom.)

"This looks like that manor where I found you, only it's not falling apart, of course," I compared aloud.

"You see one ritzy coop, you've seen 'em all." Nia sounded unimpressed, although her posture suggested otherwise. She sat up straight with her hands on her knees. I tried to sit up as well and was surprised to learn how difficult it was to stay still while straight.

"Hey there, you." I turned to see to whom Nia was talking and spotted little Tommy poking his out from behind the wall. With a quick gasp, he disappeared into the hallway. (How old must he be now? Twelve? Thirteen? Hopefully he's not so bratty anymore.)

"Remi and Nia, this is my father, Lord Edward Echell." Owen finally returned with his father who was wearing the most comfortable-looking cardigan. "Father, this is Remi of Prudentia," he paused for a second, "…and this is Nia, our long-lost Blade."

"That's what you thi-" Nia started to mutter but caught herself. "Yes, thank you for inviting us." She closed her eyes and gave them a curtsy which I expected this time. Lord Echell didn't speak at first. He held a stern expression on his face, but I was sure that he was feeling a mix of emotions inside at the sight of her in front of him.

"Blade, Nia, is it?" he finally addressed her. "This is an honor. I never thought that an old man's dream would come true." He looked her up and down which surely was making her uncomfortable. "For centuries our clan has had a proud place in Torigoth. Our ancestors attributed much of it to you and your services to the community." She opened her mouth as if to speak but remained silent instead.

"Lord Echell," I began with a deep breath, "as a regular mercenary from another Titan, it has been a privilege to help out your family." I didn't have anything else to say to follow it up, but it felt necessary anyway.

"Young Remi. I cannot thank you enough." Lord Echell extended his hand and I gladly shook it. "Now we finally have both of our Blades back home where they belong." Nia dropped her ladylike stance and took two steps back. (He shouldn't have said that.)

"What my father means is we're glad to be able to meet you when several generations of our family were not," his diplomatic elder son stepped in. I knew that this meeting was going to be awkward. A moment later, we heard a noise from the hall. "Tommy, come out here and say hello," Owen encouraged. Reluctantly, Tommy entered the living room and stood by his dad. He had the look of any typical kid who didn't want to be there.

"Hey there, Tommy," Nia greeted. "My name is Nia." Having turned our attention away from Lord Echell, her stance was much more relaxed and free as she spoke to the Gormotti lad.

"Are you a Blade?" he asked shyly. Nia nodded. "Are you the Blade Father wanted?" She nodded again, not dropping her friendly demeanor to him.

"Yeah, uh… I'm a Blade. I'm a healer Blade." She held out her hand and filled the room with a faint glow of lustrous blue. Our hosts were in complete awe from the sight of her sample of power. It was the first time I saw Lord Echell let his guard down.

"Wow… can you really make people feel better?" Tommy asked with less shyness this time. "My knee hurts and… uh…" Owen started snickering. "What?! It really _does_ hurt!" he shouted to his older brother. "I was trying to… uh…" he looked up to his dad and discontinued his explanation.

"May I see?" Nia asked in a soft voice. She knelt down and the timid boy stepped forward and rolled up his trouser leg. His knee was bruised up a little bit. She cupped his knee with her hand and brought forth the blue light again. Like magic, his knee looked good as new. It was the first time I witnessed her power at work on someone else. "There. How's that?"

"Y-yeah… it doesn't hurt so much a-anymore…" he stuttered in disbelief. "Thank you, lady… er, N-Nia…" She returned a wink and rolled back down his trouser leg.

"Anyone else got something hurting?" she asked as she stood up. "If a wound is not too deep nor too old, then it can be taken care of. May as well check while I'm 'ere." Nobody responded immediately.

"If it's not too imposing, Miss Nia," Lord Echell spoke up, "I… _please pardon me_, I have been… rather _tender_ from an injury sustained during a failed attempt at resonating with a core crystal last year. My joints simply haven't been the same." I knew he was referring to their other "family Blade" Owen had mentioned to me in Sollerta, supposedly a great white tiger. The fact that he brought up his injury to us was surprising to me given how rigid he'd been carrying himself to this point.

Without making contact, Nia held both of her hands up to Lord Echell and completely covered him in the familiar blue light. We all waited a moment after the procedure before reacting.

"Goodness me…" Lord Echell carefully stretched out his arms. "I say… I… This is incredible… I thought I'd have to suffer these pains for the rest of my life. It's all true. You really are a miracle healer Blade." Nia folded her arms and smirked at her latest success. The tense mood from five minutes ago had given way to a feeling of joy entirely, and it was all thanks to Tommy's inadvertent intervention.

And so, the Echells gave us a tour of their place. I was most interested in seeing their treasure collection, and I impressed them with my knowledge of some of it. Lord Echell did not show me the other core crystal though. After the tour, he invited us to stay for dinner which we accepted. While he excused himself to make plans with their personal chef, I split off with Owen while Tommy took Nia to their outdoor patio.

"So, your family is close to the McAvas, yes?" I asked Owen. "Do you know the son, Reeco?"

"Not that well, no. Why do you ask?" He sat us down at the dinner table.

"He joined my mercenary group, the Solly Mercs," I explained. "He knew way too much about our business."

"Father must've said something." He glanced into the kitchen. "I assure you that I did not. What did Reeco say to you, though?"

"He knew that your father tasked me with finding Nia's core and claimed that he wanted her for himself," I said. Owen was taken aback by this notion. "Remember those attackers I mentioned?" He nodded nervously. "I think it was him… and his Blades."

"You think he's going to try to steal her?" He looked genuinely unsettled. (I'm starting to regret bringing it up.)

"At first, yes, I thought he might," I told him. "I'm feeling safer about it day by day though. Hopefully he becomes obsessed in somebody else. He joked about having his emperor's Blades, so I don't know how serious he is, exactly. He's definitely protective of his own, though."

"Some people are capable of anything." Owen handed me some appetizer bread brought over by the chef. "Do be careful out there."

Soon, Tommy and Nia returned from the patio. The young Gormotti boy dashed to his bedroom and shut the door behind him. Nia joined us with a knowing smile on her face.

"He's a bit smitten." She giggled and took a slice of bread.

"How can you tell?" I asked as she sat down next to me.

"Maybe… I can just tell, y'know?" She bumped my foot with hers under the table. (Yes, I'd say so…)

Dinner was fantastic. Their personal chef served us Coq au vin, and it was probably the most expensive meal I'd ever enjoyed up to that point. Looking around the table, I noticed that there was no Mrs. Echell, but I decided not to inquire. Nia sipped her tea like a well-instructed lady. (Must've been from her past life in Dosilla. I'm sure of it.)

"Remi and Nia, once again I'd like to state how grateful we are to you." Lord Echell raised his glass. "However, I must confess that we have not been completely forthcoming." I had a pretty good idea of where this was leading. He turned to his elder son.

"Yes. As I said before, since you two have already bonded, it is not possible for us to obtain your core crystal…" Owen paused, clearly uncomfortable. I was feeling a little uneasy myself. "And seeing as how none of our family have the aptitude to resonate with Blades, there is no reason for us to have it now anyway."

"What about me?" Tommy interrupted but was quickly shushed by his dad.

"Remi…" Owen struggled to continue, "I know this is personal, and I apologize on his behalf, but my father requests that when you… _pass on_, it shall be arranged for her core to be delivered to our family… to whomever may be carrying our family name when the time comes. Can that be arranged?"

"How dare you…" Nia was scowling at him as if he were the worst person on Alrest.

It felt like my mind shut off for a moment. I knew this request was coming, and yet I hadn't prepared an answer. On one hand, Nia was my Blade, my partner, and nobody else's business. On the other hand, these people were the very reason why she came into my life in the first place. I had this nagging feeling, deep down, that this was where she needed to be in the distant future.

"This is not something that can be decided tonight, nor tomorrow, nor anytime soon," I spoke, in the most serious tone I'd ever heard myself use. "I hope you weren't expecting an answer." The air was stuffy, and it became difficult to breathe.

"Don't I get a say in this?" We all turned our attention to Nia. I couldn't quite tell if she was fighting back tears or ready to flip over the table. "I should be able to decide where my core drops next. And if that's buried on the battlefield next to Remi, then that's what fate had it in for us." She wiped her eyes with her napkin. I offered her my hand under the table, but she didn't take it. The ensuing awkward silence was unbearable.

"I think it's time that we head out," I announced. Nia excused herself and quickly made her way to the front door.

"Please, please, my sincerest apologies…" Lord Echell started to say but couldn't find any further words. I was sure that if I hadn't anticipated this heavy, personal request, then I might've felt insulted. At this point, I wasn't sure what else to say either.

"Nia! Nia, wait!" Tommy sprinted across the living room towards her waiting at the front door. Very sweetly, he wrapped his arms around her in a trembling embrace. It actually made me smile during this period of drama. "Please come back and visit _me_ at least, would you?" Nia didn't say anything but warmly stroked his ears. (This little man is surprising me once again.)

I said my goodbyes to the Echells and assured Owen that he could continue to send me letters if he wanted. Truthfully, despite what had just happened, I still wanted to get their business as the payments so far had been highly beneficial. I joined Nia at the door and we returned outside to the cool evening air.

~ ABBLE'S FOUNTAIN ~

The night was so clear and beautiful that the tension had mostly left me. I wasn't sure about Nia though, who had her arm tightly wrapped around mine as we walked through town. Like in Hagan, the fountain seemed to call for her, and so there we had a seat.

"Hey… Nia." She looked at me with both brows down. "I'm sorry I forced you into that… _meeting_." She scooted over and rested her head on my shoulder. I felt the water from the fountain sprinkle on us a little bit, but we weren't about to move anytime soon. "I knew they were going to ask that, but I guess I felt obligated to let them see you since they tabbed me to find you in the first place." There was silence, nothing but the sound of the water. (It's the truth, but should I have admitted it?)

"I'm not mad at you, Rem," she finally spoke, "but I _am_ mad."

"What can I say… to make you feel better?" I hoped with might to make this right.

"Nothing. Just shut up an' hold me, yeah?" I did as she asked, and we stayed there for an hour. Aside from the occasional night-stroller, all of the townsfolk had gone home for the night. It was peaceful and we needed this moment together. I didn't want to think about anything else. It was time to stop worrying about Reeco and his potentially dangerous motives. As for where Nia should end up, perhaps it didn't need an answer. She made it pretty clear that nobody was going to decide for her where she belonged.


	7. Gormotti Experience

Chapter 7 "Gormotti Experience"

~ COEDWIG INN ~

We slept well that night. The inn had cozy beds but thin walls. By morning, I could already hear the market crowds making the early deals outside.

"We've got a full day today and our ship leaves tomorrow. Interested in checking out Torigoth?" I asked.

"How about checking out Gormott itself?" she offered instead. "If this is where I'm from, then I may as well see it all. Besides, I could use the fresh air." It seemed logical to me. I was up for anything that would make her happy after last night.

Upon exiting the inn, we saw more Ardainian soldiers walking around, pointing and talking amongst themselves. I was aware that the Empire of Mor Ardain wanted a new Titan to live on because their own was starting to falter, but their presence here felt regnant like in Alba Cavanich. They paid special attention to drivers with Blades, including us.

~ TORIGOTH MARKET ~

"I say we check out the wilds first," I suggested. "Maybe later there won't be so many Gunner Joes about." We packed some grub from a food cart and headed for the vast, open countryside. I brought our gear along in case we ran into something nasty.

~ PLAINS OF EVENING CALM ~

The Titan of Gormott was simply beautiful and full of life. We were amused by some of the little bunnits carrying stolen wrenches in their tails. The variety of species here completely dwarfed those of Prudentia. Also impressive were the giant trees with roots big enough to create bridges between the tiers of land. We followed a long and winding dirt path from Torigoth to a run-down dock with a sign that barely read "_Lascham Cove_."

~ LASCHAM COVE, deteriorated dock ~

It was quite the commotion. Two Gormotti drivers were dueling on the dock while other drivers and Ardainian soldiers watched on the side. More arrived from a half-sized Ardainian ship. (So much for getting away from them.)

"Hey you two up there!" One of the soldiers spotted us. "C'mon doon an' display yer skills, eh?" The two drivers didn't stop their battle until one fell over and pulled out a white towel.

"What's going on?" I asked the most appropriate question.

"We're on an official scout for drivers strong enough to represent Mor Ardain in the Cloud Sea Championship. Have _you_ what it takes to win for the empire?" (There's no way that this is official… is it?)

"You're accosting the wrong people. We're tourists." I couldn't help but snicker. "In fact, we'd be your opposition."

"Oh? Then get out of 'ere an' stop wastin' our time!" A small stir of malevolence welled up inside.

"Excuse me, sir, but you called to us fir-" Nia bumped me aside.

"Afraid to see what you might be up against?" she heckled. "Come on, Rem! Let's show 'em!" (Well… this is about to get interesting…)

The soldiers nodded at each other before one of them signaled for a driver and his Blade to duel with us. Hesitantly, I grasped the scimitar and Nia powered it up in no time. This driver was sloppy. I blocked all of his attacks and hit him with almost all of mine. As I set up my next swing, he fell to his knees and struggled to pull out his white towel. His Blade came over to check on him.

"Got him tired, I did," Nia whispered in my ear like a naughty prankster. She was referring to the technique she used to incapacitate the Argentum squatters. With that in mind, I considered the possibility of exhausting everybody on this dock.

"Not bad for a wee barra an' ballerina," the soldier complimented backhandedly. "You there! You take 'em doon!" He pointed to another driver and Blade at the ready. He too, was sloppy, at least by my raised standards. He was out within a minute. "Bah! What sick joke is this? Next!" The next driver didn't fare much better and lasted two minutes against us. Eventually, we defeated all of their available prospects which left the soldiers struggling to stay professional. (I hope they don't try to arrest us out of frustration.)

"Looks like you've got some work to do if you want to win the championship!" Nia taunted as I put away my gear. "Remi, maybe _we_ ought to compete, for Prudentia, don't you think?" She was full of vigor, even after all of the bouts.

"I'll consider it," I replied conservatively before turning to the soldiers. "Look fellows, please don't be cross with us. Just remember _you_ called to us first." We left and made sure nobody followed us.

~ LYTA OASIS, central lake ~

"That was fun!" Nia was in much better spirits.

"Felt good to relieve the tension?" I presumed.

"Oh, I've only just begun to do so." She led us to a lake which was populated by several thirsty faunae. None of them appeared to be aggressive, so we stayed for a little while. "Hold these for me." She handed me her boots and slid her leggings off before stepping into the lake. I was wary of piranhax lurking in the deeper parts, but she didn't appear to step into any. Slowly, she approached a beautifully-feathered camill which leaned down to sniff her. Completely distracted by this interaction, I wasn't aware that a couple of sneaky pippitos tried to get into my bag. Yanking it away didn't frighten them at all. (They must smell our lunch.)

"Shall we continue?" I suggested earnestly. "It's getting rather crowded here." She saw me holding my bag away from the pippitos and laughed at my predicament.

"Got a towel in there?" I handed her an unused sweat rag. "How lame. You let a bunch of itty-bitties gang up on ya," she teased as she dried herself. We timed our leave perfectly as a large, majestic taos bird swooped in behind us and took our place. (As long as it doesn't follow…)

~ NOCCLIA WOODS ~

The highlands were only accessible by the giant tree roots, one of which brought us to a vacant campsite. We didn't see any better place to stop for a lunch break, so we each took one of the two adjoining logs. All the fighting and hiking worked up my appetite which I was grateful to have back.

"Gormott is gorgeous." Nia summed it up perfectly.

"Yeah… it makes Prudentia seem dull," I had to admit. "Everything is thriving here to the fullest."

"This puts Prudentia to shame! I'd totally fight for this Titan." Her declaration was unabashed.

"I thought you wanted to defend Prudentia… in that competition, I mean." I made sure no pesky pippitos snuck up behind me before taking a bite.

"Of course I do, but it doesn't mean I can't be impressed with this place." She finished her meal and stuffed away the wrapper. "You _will_ think about competing, won't you? I'm seriously interested."

"Seriously?" I stared at her intently. "It's bound to attract the fiercest drivers on Alrest." Until now, I hadn't actually considered it, but indeed she was serious.

"I just… want to see how good we are. Wouldn't that competition be the perfect test?" She studied her palms. "I have the power to absorb the energy right out of anybody. You've seen it. I think I can do more with it."

"You'll put everybody to sleep?" I joked.

"I can reverse-heal." She saw my confusion. "I can manipulate cells of the body and make 'em physically weak, like they've never exercised a day in their lives." (When she puts it _that_ way, maybe it isn't hopeless…)

"Look Nia, if you really want to, I'll speak to Chief Reynold about it." I was still unsure about it, especially with how sudden this interest of hers had become.

"Thanks Rem." She joined me on my log. "It's not just because we beat those poofs at the dock. I really feel like we've got something special." She slipped her hand in mine and held them up. "I want to see how far we can go… discover our limits, y'know?"

"Hopefully we won't find out by being buried into the ground." I meant that as another joke but quickly realized that it was precariously similar to what she'd said nearly in tears last night. "Sorry… that one slipped…"

"Forget it. I overreacted last night and I know it, although I still think they're absolute creeps." She brought her other hand over. "Tommy's cool though. Poor thing has a crush on me."

"He's not the only one." I let another one slip without thinking and felt her eyes on me as I stared at our hands. I took a deep breath and faced her.

"I'm still waiting, y'know? she pressured. You finally gonna tell me?" I took another deep breath. (This better not blow up…)

"Nia, I have feelings for you." I said it. "I didn't mean for it to happen. You've simply made me… _happy_… as if life was worth living all along," I padded my unnecessary and disgustingly-clichéd explanation.

"Why, you overdramatic oaf…" she responded almost in laughter.

"Look who's talking!" I tried to counter the embarrassment. "Don't laugh. That was hard!"

"I bet." She leaned in and kissed me on the lips which froze me in unfathomable fear. I had no idea what was happening. I blinked and we were apart again. "Well don't act like you didn't enjoy that. It wasn't easy for me, either." Hearing her say that brought some color back to my face. This time I made the move and kissed her back. With the lack of surprise, I was able to feel and believe this one.

"Thank you," was all I could get out. Several reactions had been competing in my head, so I chose the easiest one. "Thank you. I don't know what else to say."

"Then maybe you've said enough." Her logic made sense to me. We sat together and listened to the natural noises of Gormott as the wind resounded across the land. The more I concentrated on it, the more distinct it became. I was appreciating everything more, now that the burden was off my mind. Once we were ready, we left the campsite and continued further upland.

~ HONEYPOT GROTTO ~

The paths became more defined the further along we went. One led to another campsite, which was full of people and odd junk piles, while the other led straight up to a cave. We heard loud snoring reverberating from it, so we were mindful to avoid it. Next we found a grotto of flowers. It was the prettiest part of Gormott that we'd seen yet, but there were unsettlingly-large insect nests all around.

~ GREATSPINE BOUNDARY ~

When we reached the highest point of traversable land, I was awestruck at both how far we'd come and how far we could still go. The view down the long, veering slope of the unexplored side was marvelous. Nearer by, we could see the beginning of a waterfall.

"I don't think we have enough time to go both ways today," I estimated upon looking at my watch. "Which way shou-"

"Waterfall," she answered expeditiously and simply. (I should've known.)

~ VERDANT PLATEAU ~

One of the big tree roots allowed us to reach the pond from which the waterfall originated. A plateau of grass and blooms nestled it from the other side. Very carefully, we stepped across the rocks to reach it and were treated to a breathtaking view of nearly all of Gormott. It gave an incredible sense of journey. (If only I had a camera…)

"Hold these again, would you?" Nia tossed me her boots and sat at the edge with her feet in the running water. She looked so carefree. "Feels good, Rem. You should join me." The long climb up the Titan had made me rather achy below the knees, so I removed my shoes and found a comfortable spot next to her. The water was a lot colder than I expected.

"Oof! Chilling! …but soothing," I described with a shiver. It took me a minute to get accustomed to it. "Your healing could soothe everything quicker though."

"Where's the fun in that?" She leaned back and rested on her arms. "Oooh yes, that feels _good_…"

"Gormott's treating you well, huh?" I noticed her enjoyment.

"It's not bad." Her coquettish admission amused me. "I really appreciate how natural it is, like home." I wasn't sure if she meant Gormott was natural enough to call home or that it was like Prudentia. We sat there for ten minutes before I started to feel soggy.

As I was drying off, a large shadow swept over us. I looked to our left and saw another large taos bird perch with a gusty landing. "Uh… Nia? We've got company…"

"Tell it to move. This is too nice to leave…" She didn't look at it until its loud trill grabbed her attention. "Freakin' 'ell! We were 'ere first!" Her yelling didn't help us any. I clumsily put my shoes on and grabbed the rest of our stuff. As expected, the great taos lunged at us, beak-first. I barely had a moment to put up my shield and block. The recoil caused me to stumble back a few steps, dangerously close to the cliff. I peered over and saw a small shelf directly underneath with vines leading down to it.

"We need to lam out of here! We can't battle so high up!" I knew we could beat it, but the risk of falling was way too great. Out of the water, Nia aimed her scimitar at the beastly bird and pushed it back with the force of her power, and perhaps with the force of her frustration, too. "This way!" I pointed to the vine and climbed down with my full, blind trust in its strength. Nia handed me her weapon and climbed down as well. (Is that monster smart enough to look for us?)

It knew where we were immediately. By great fortune, however, there was a path connected to this shelf and we followed it into the cliff face. Not knowing what might be inside, we entered just as the winged monster made a foolish dive, smacking itself into the wall. Its persistence forced us to seek another option out.

"Stupid shite. I was _so close_, too." Nia carefully stepped around the rocks on this curiously-carved tunnel that led us to another opening. I passed back her boots once we were out of the big bird's reach. Its shriek echoed around us as we continued down the turning path towards the light from the other opening. (Is that monster smart enough to look for us over here, too?)

After examining the clearing, I dropped our gear and sighed in relief. The last thing I needed was a bad ending to a fantastic day. We couldn't tell if the taos was still hunting for us, but I was tired enough from the adrenaline rush to sit tight and rest. The view from this hole in the wall was almost as good as the view up top. The loud roar of the nearby waterfall drowned out the sounds of everything else.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I checked to make sure we didn't lose anything.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine… just ticked right off," she answered breathlessly. Her face was aflush. "I was totally _having it_." She stood over me looking utterly dejected. I zipped up the bag and got back on my feet.

"Check out the view, though," I pointed out. "Everything's easier to spot being less high up."

"You look at it, then. I need to finish what I started." She closed her eyes and leaned onto me with her hands on my shoulders. Her deep exhale tickled the side of my neck. Instinctively, I began to rub her back, lightly playing with the small rope of her outfit. We stood together and let the sound of the waterfall take over.

I wasn't exactly sure what she had in mind, but I was more than happy to assist. She pressed her body into mine, nearly moving me back a step. I continued to stare at the wilderness below as she concentrated on applying the right amount of pressure in the right place.

I didn't dare speak and possibly ruin the moment. We kept it up for five minutes before her breathing got heavy. She was almost there. Both of my hands fell below her back and massaged gently. I kissed her on her cheek which was the last boost she needed to reach her goal. She gasped and shook in my arms, and I held on like our lives depended on it. If she let out a cry, it was lost in the roar of the waterfall which seemed to help her ride through it.

Sensing weakness in the knees, I helped her down and seated myself beside her. I had no idea how I held it together myself and was glad that the taos didn't interrupt.

"Thanks… I needed that." She caught her breath and stared at me with watery eyes. "Did you…?" I shook my head and she returned a frown with a pronounced lower lip. "Why not? We're supposed to do everything together."

"I was keeping an eye out for that blasted bird. Next time, then," I said not knowing when the next time would be. We waited to let her recuperate before we retraced our steps back outside. Thankfully, the taos had flown off, so we were free to climb back up the vines to the plateau. By now the sky was orange with the sunset which made everything prettier than before.

~ NOCCLIA WOODS ~

It took us an hour to make it back down the hills. The plain sight of Torigoth during our descent made me realize that I'd neglected to bring a map, but it wouldn't have been necessary. There were still plenty of people hanging out at the upper campsite, and we found a young Ardainian couple getting cozy at the lower campsite where we had stayed earlier. Nia gave a quick glance at them and smiled.

~ TORIGOTH MARKET ~

I was glad to be back in civilization, even if there still were Ardainian soldiers moseying about. There was no way to tell if any of the soldiers in town were ones who witnessed our triumph at the deteriorated dock. Fortunately, none of them bothered us.

The main restaurant by the fountain was once again packed with a line of customers. We asked the hostess if there were any other sit-down restaurants in town and she suggested that we try one in the residential area.

~ GRODD RESIDENTIAL ZONE ~

"Now this is more like it." I was pleased to find the neighborhood eatery with a few tables open. "Must be very convenient if you live here."

"I wouldn't mind living here," Nia added.

"Have you forgotten about Hagan?" I asked as I sat down.

"Of course not." She passed me a menu. "But y'know, Rem, Gormott's calling to me… even with that… that _family_."

"By the time I'm gone and you're in your next life, they'll be a different family." I surprised myself with how loose I said it. "Maybe their next kin won't be so selfish."

"Maybe…" she repeated quietly. "The little one gives me _some_ hope." We laughed at that as a waiter came over to tend to us.

It turned out to be a peaceful evening. Dinner was quaint. We didn't need it to be over-the-top like last night's.

"What about you? Do _you_ want to have a family and pass me along?" Despite not being off-topic, her question caught me unprepared.

"Uh… Nia, I don't know about that." I made sure the other diners weren't eavesdropping. "I don't know if I want to bring any more kids into this dangerous world."

"Dangerous world?" She looked at me oddly.

"Yeah. We fought a ton of misguided drivers, pissed off a foreign platoon, and nearly got speared off a cliff today." I saw one diner look at me before quickly turning away. "And this was just a normal day, on a normal Titan." Nia looked disappointed. "Maybe my attitude will change one day. I don't know if there's anybody out there who has the influence to make Alrest a safe, understanding world to live in." That sentiment halted our conversation for a minute. (Sometimes I wish I weren't so cynical.)

"Remi… if nothing bad happens to us, and if you end up not having a family of your own…" she paused, and sighed loudly, "then you can have me go to the Echell family." She stared down at her empty plate before looking up at me. "I'd rather be with a family than left hidden away for someone… _random_… to find."

"_I_ was random, no?" I reminded her. "I'd say you lucked out this time." I hoped to make her smile with that and thankfully she did, a little bit. "But very well. Tomorrow, before we leave for home, we can stop by the Echells again. I don't want to leave on bad terms with them anyway."

~ HOUSE OF ECHELL ~

The next morning, we arrived at the House of Echell, this time without an invitation. The little peephole shuttered, and the door thumped before opening at the excited hands of young Tommy.

"Nia! You came back for me! I knew you would." He instantly hugged her and didn't let go. (I think I'm actually starting to like this kid.)

"Hey Tommy, is anyone else home?" I asked nicely. He looked at me with much less excitement and turned around to call for his brother who arrived a minute later.

"Remi! Nia! You're back. W-welcome!" Owen clearly hadn't practiced for any meetings today. "Ahem… what brings you back?" Nia composed herself and stepped forward.

"I am… sorry… for overreacting last night." Despite her pauses, she maintained a steady, proper posture.

"Oh no, no, _we_ are the ones who are sorry." Owen was quick to return the apologies. "We asked for too much."

"Owen, it's… okay now. Don't choke on your bowtie." I hoped to calm him down enough to hear clearly what Nia was about to say. He wiped his brow and fixed his hair before looking back at her.

"Under one condition, and only under this one condition," she began, "consider your request granted." She reached for me without taking her eyes off of the Echell siblings. "If Remi does not have a family to whom I may be passed on, then I will return to yours."

"Yes!" Tommy burst out loud. "That means… oh." I couldn't tell if he realized that Nia's transfer would mean my demise, or that he would likely have to miss out on bonding with her for her next life. I suspected the latter.

"Thank you… thank you ever so much." Owen tried to keep his voice steady. "We don't deserve it, but we accept these terms. Father will be absolutely thrilled when he gets back from tea." ("Terms?" Should we have gotten this in writing?)

"You just make sure he understands the condition," I reasserted.

"Oh yes, indubitably," he agreed. With no further business to discuss, we said our goodbyes, properly this time, and headed for the dock below.

~ GALAD RESIDENTIAL ZONE ~

"You okay with everything that's happened, Nia?" I asked. "The battling, the decisions for the future, the uh… _Gormotti experience_?" The last item made her ears twitch.

"I think so. Can't exactly take 'em back now, huh?" She was right about that. I was glad that neither of us had any regrets. Time was really starting to move fast. It was odd to me that while the distant future was set, the immediate future was not.


	8. Conflicting Agendas

Chapter 8 "Conflicting Agendas"

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Good morning everybody. Stand by while I assign teams for today's missions," the chief's secretary announced through a loudspeaker.

"The chief's still out sick?" I wondered. "That's not good…"

"Yeah, and look who's back." Nia pointed to the other side of the waiting crowd and there stood Reeco, looking as healthy and haughty as ever, with an arm around the black-winged Nemana. When he was called up, we were astonished to see him surrounded not by four Blades, but six, and three of them were new. "You seeing what I'm seeing? And… hang on… someone's missing."

"Who's not here then?" I studied this modified entourage and tried to remember what it looked like before.

"It's the… the… who's that other girl he was snoggin'?" Nia stumbled on the memory-jog, but she was on the right path. As luck would have it, we were called up to join their group. She had to push me to get me to walk up to them. (And I thought I wouldn't have to worry about this guy anymore.)

"Morning there. Miss me?" Reeco greeted with a self-righteous wink. He reached over with his free arm and placed a hot hand on my shoulder.

"Don't flatter yourself." I brushed him off. "And who've you got here?" I nodded toward his three new Blades. He didn't answer but smiled smugly. (I don't like that look in his eye.)

"Hello, I'm Beila" said a blue-skinned lady Blade whose white hair draped over one eye. She carried no expression on her face like nothing was going to bother her.

"And I'm Aggarone" said a scantily-clad lady Blade who appeared to be dripping black ink from her hair and her weapon. She looked like she'd stepped out from a freshly-painted portrait.

The third new member was a large, menacing beast Blade with spiky blue and purple fur. Sensing our attention on it, it perked its ears and walked up to us. (Great, now they've got a guard-dog.)

"Nice to meet you all." I tried to not let my discomfort from the beast Blade show. "I'm Remi, and this is my partner, Nia." She put on her friendliest smile, but I could tell that she was feeling a little uncomfortable as well.

"Don't mind them, girls," Reeco told his new Blades. "They _wish_ they could join us. They know how fun it is." Shamelessly, Nemana kissed and licked his neck, like a lusty vampire.

"He's got a regular harem, I swear…" Nia commented aside to me, but the Ardainian playboy overheard and laughed.

"No harem would be complete without you in it, you know?" He winked at Nia again, even with Nemana at his side. "Wouldn't it be cool if we had Brighid, though?" He turned to his Blade who smiled back at him naughtily.

"Brighid?" I wondered. "Is that one of your emperor's Blades?" Reeco looked as if he were about to answer, but instead kept his mouth shut. (For a guy who talks big, he sure shies away a lot, too.)

Conveniently as the awkward conversation ended, the chief's secretary approached us with a list of instructions for our mission. Since our chief was out, and this was to be the big mission of the day, I decided to take charge and read out our directives. At our coast guard's request, we were to help clear out a monstrous siege of lexos and serpronds at the lowland beaches of the Titan.

~ PRUDENTIAN COAST ~

Since traveling to the beaches on foot was going to take too long, we instead took a ship ride along the coast to our destination. Aside from a few coastal villages, there wasn't much to see along the way that caught our interest. Perhaps our time spent in Gormott had spoiled us a little bit. I ordered our ship to stop about a mile away from the center of activity so that it wouldn't attract the attention of the flying fish beasts that we were to wrangle away.

I expected Reeco to object to my leading this operation, but luckily there was no dissent from anybody. In fact, he seemed quite eager to take on the task. As soon as we secured the ship, he bolted through the dune bushes with Nemana, Perceval, and his new beast Blade in tow. The rest of his Blades looked to me to give the orders which I found gratifying given their driver's apparent territorialism. After discussing emergency escape plans with the ship's crew, I led our initial approach which ended up following Reeco's hastily-made trail.

Once there, we found that Reeco had already taken down one of the lexos and was working on taking down the next. I watched enthralled as he snagged it with an anchor shot which I hadn't seen him use before. I wasn't particularly interested in watching Perceval and the beast Blade finish them off as their manner of doing so was quite savage. The beach was quickly becoming a mess.

I sent the rest of Reeco's Blades in pairs to go after the other lexos while Nia and I focused on the serpronds further down the coast. When we approached one, I soon realized that there was no way that we could reach it at its present height. Along the coast, I saw that the others were struggling with the same problem as well. (Ugh… I really hate that I have to ask this…)

"Reeco! We need to regroup!" We ran to our Ardainian teammate while we dodged attacks from above.

"What in Architect's name are you goin' on about?" He brought down another one. It landed with a thud and sprayed sand in our faces. "Can't do it? Fine, guard for me and I'll get 'em all!"

"We can take them down a lot faster if you let everyone else have a turn with Nemana!" I tried to explain.

"Schemin' bitch! I told you to stay away from my Blades!" He turned and aimed his anchor shot at me.

"_Listen!_ You've got your hook and Nemana can fly. If you two split up, then she can bring down the other monsters for the rest of us to finish off. We'll get it done quicker." We glared at each other and nearly forgot to look out for aerial attacks. "It makes sense and you know it." Time was wasting.

"I'll pair up with you if you let her assist the others," Nia offered. I tensed up when she said that. "C'mon! You said you wanted me, right?" At first, he stared at her blankly, but then he developed a devilish grin. (I think I'm going to be ill… again.)

"Nemana! Go help out the others!" he shouted to his gothic lover before he returned his sickening gaze to Nia. "As for you…" He leaned forward and held out his hand. The only thing that he was missing was a rose in his mouth.

"Remi! Go! I can take care of myself!" Nia assured me, but I was never going to be comfortable with this arrangement. Very reluctantly, I followed Nemana away from this sordid scene and went back to stopping the invasion.

Fortunately, I was correct about improving our efficiency. Nemana was a big help as she either lured the flying beasts down for us to tackle or brought them down with her own hands. She also absorbed their attacks as well. In ten minutes, we had the beach secured with all threats literally taken down. Perun gave me a high-five which I partook after I made sure that Reeco wasn't looking.

Nemana was quite the impressive Blade, and I could see why he was proud to have her. She flew over to him without any acknowledgement to the rest of us. I was relieved to see Nia separate from him as soon as Nemana swept him in her arms and they tumbled down to make out in the sand.

"That was very brave of you, Rem." Nia came over for a hug.

"Likewise. You had to be near him," I complimented back. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"He couldn't if he tried!" She saw the seriousness in my face. "Calm down. He didn't touch me. I promise you, he didn't, okay?" I relaxed my hold on her and accepted her reassurance.

"Like I said before, I envy you two." We both forgot that Perun was still standing there. She laughed at our simultaneous reactions. "A driver and Blade who actually care for each other is a rare thing."

"Perun, I'm so sorry you're stuck with him." Nia let go of me and patted her on the shoulder. "By the way, where is… uh, your other teammate?" (Oh yeah, we never got to the bottom of that.)

"Walenn… right. She reverted back to her core crystal." Perun's direct answer left us speechless. "Reeco got her pregnant, a while ago, in fact. It finally started to affect…" Perun paused at our overt disbelief and leaned inward to quietly and tactfully explain the rest. "He took her and Perceval somewhere one night. When they came back an hour later, he had her blackened core in his hand. He claimed it was some kind of _accident_." I had my jaw dropped for so long, I was sure I'd swallowed a fly. "I wouldn't be surprised if _she's_ next." Perun looked onward at Nemana laying on top of her driver, running her fingers on his face. He was definitely favoring her now. (That could've been Nia if I'd been too late…)

"That… that blithering…" Nia was fuming.

"Coward," I finished for her. "He's a coward. He didn't want to deal with it." I looked at Perun with utmost sympathy. "If her ever tries that with you…"

"I won't let him." She clutched her megalance tightly. During our upsetting conversation, Reeco's other Blades had reconvened by the ship, so we did the same. I wanted to ask Perun how he acquired his three new Blades, but something told me it would've been an even more disturbing answer. I looked at the stone-cold Perceval and the puzzle started to piece together. (Do we have an assassin on our hands?)

~ SOLLERTA ~

Eventually, Reeco and Nemana came to their senses and joined us on the ship so that I could take a headcount. We returned to the Solly Mercs camp with my report of our success. The secretary made sure to put in the logbook that I had taken the lead on this mission.

"That ought to make me look good with the chief," I commented to Nia in the mess hall. "I hope he gets better and returns soon."

"Yeah. I want him to sponsor us for the championship," Nia added nonchalantly.

"You _still_ want to do that?" I hadn't thought of it for two days.

"Of course! I thought already I convinced you." She gave me an annoyed but adorable pout. "You said you would talk to him about it."

"I will! I will! But he needs to come back first." I'd really hoped that she'd forget about it, but she didn't, and I was a person of my word.

"You two squawking about that Cloud Sea Championship?" Reeco appeared from the other end of the mess hall and moved toward us with a gangly stroll. "Good gollywog! You're not going to _enter_ it, are you?" he asked in an overacted, mocking tone.

"You bet we will!" Nia quickly shot back. "We've got something to prove."

"And I assume that you're going to enter it for Mor Ardain, yes?" I asked before he could react to Nia's straight-fed line.

"Me? Enter?" He grabbed a sandwich from the pick-up trays. "I wanted to thank you, Nia, for being with me earlier today." (I mustn't react… I mustn't react…)

"Better not get used to it. I gave you what you wanted, so dust off now." She eyed him carefully and wrapped her arms around herself. The conniving creep gave her another wink before leaving us alone. I wasn't sure what my face looked like then, but Nia saw my concern plain as day. "Don't think about it, Rem, or else you'll never sleep tonight."

~ HAGAN ~

Two more days went by before word came in that our chief was well again. The nasty germs from Argentum got him the worst. During that time, Nia and I had resumed our training just beyond the house. Each time we trained, we attracted a crowd. It wasn't long before they started to speculate about our intention to compete. The next time we had a free moment at camp, I finally approached the chief about sponsorship.

~ SOLLERTA ~

"You want to compete in the Cloud Sea Championship, eh?" The chief looked a tad surprised. "The more power to you, but I thought you didn't like that sort of thing."

"You're right, I don't." I glanced at Nia who was giving me the impatient look. "But I've got somebody who does, and I'll stick by her no matter what."

"I tell you Remi, I'd worry about you getting messed up in there, but you seem to have a pretty good nurse." Nia couldn't help but laugh at the chief's title for her. He reached into the admin desk and pulled out a form. "The Solly Mercs will be glad to sponsor you two. We could use the promotion. We'll provide your travel an' lodging fare, plus the entry fee of course." Next, he took out a couple of cloth patches with "_Solly Mercs_" embroidered in them and held one up to his shirt. "Our name will be on your shirt like this and tagged to your name at the betting boards."

"Betting boards?" I repeated. "Hah! Who'd ever bet their gold on me?"

"You'd be surprised. Somebody out there will. I would if we weren't sponsoring ya." Chief Reynold handed me a pen to write. "If you accept, please sign the form."

"Yes sir." I put in my signature and retrieved the patches. I held one up to Nia who looked down at herself. "Hmm… not sure there's a spot on you for this."

"That's okay m'dears. As long as one of you gets our name out there," the chief said with a chuckle. "We've already got one other driver sponsored."

"Oh? Who's that?" I asked. (Please don't be…)

"You remember Surrey, right? He signed up two weeks ago and has been training for it ever since." The chief sat back in his chair and put his feet on the desk. "Hopefully you two don't get matched up against each other, unless it's for the final, of course."

"We don't _need_ to win the whole thing," Nia interjected. "I just want to see how far we can go."

"Yes, that is the agenda. We intend to find the limit before it finds us. It is the Prudentian way to see ahead and use self-discipline." I sounded more like a scholar than a fighter. The chief gave me the thumbs-up.

"So… I hate to show ignorance, but how exactly does this competition work?" Nia inquired. "What have the nations got to do with it?" (Glad she asked. I could use a refresher course myself.)

"Ah, right." The chief dropped his feet and pulled out a rulebook from a previous year. "Assuming Argentum gets enough entrants, and I'm sure they will, it'll be sixty-four fighters going one-on-one for the individual's trophy. All battles take place on Argentum-provided Titan ships in a neutral zone of the cloud sea." We waited for him to flip a few pages. "An' then the four nations accumulate points based on where their own fighters place on the bracket. Top four from each nation are the only ones that count." He closed the rulebook and slid it across the desk to us. "Honestly, I hope we don't win the nation's cup. Prudentia's been relatively peaceful, y'know? We don't need other nations gunning at us."

"You tellin' me wars 'ave started because of this competition?" Nia raised her voice.

"Not quite, but there's been plenty of animosity an' the like," Chief Reynold replied. "Mostly between Mor Ardain an' Uraya. They're the big dogs, y'know? They're the main reason why this may be the last time we have the championship."

"We encountered some Ardainian troops who were scouting Gormott for potential fighters the other day," I recalled from our trip.

"Doesn't surprise me at all that Emporer Nigel is sending his lot to Gormott. They want to move in on them," the chief explained. "Queen Sophia told 'em to shove it when they started to schmooze us about the other side of our Titan." (They sent Ardainian soldiers here, too? I wasn't aware.)

"Sheesh. Who needs politics?" Nia folded her arms antipathetically.

"The people who matter, that's who," the chief answered. "Emporer Nigel wants a new land for Mor Ardain. Queen Berqua wants better trade routes for Uraya. King Dagas wants better defenses for Regideria. Even our own Queen Sophia wants something for Prudentia."

"What does she want?" I had to admit that I didn't keep up with politics even though I owned a radio.

"Tourism, trade, a li'l bit of everything," Chief Reynold hypothesized. "She doesn't like that we've let the 'other side' of the Titan go to waste from our recession. She thinks a victory will make Prudentia attractive to foreigners. We'd love to have tourists stay permanently, set up new farms, get the 'other side' boomin' again, but we can't very well have an _entire_ empire." He shook his head at the thought. "You know, kids, for something that's supposed to be entertaining, this competition sure has a lot of conflicting agendas. It ain't right."

"They're all selfish desires, but they all make sense," I remarked. "You can't blame the queen for wanting to make a good impression. We look pretty weak with the nation receding to just half of the Titan. I've seen it. It's sad to see so much ruin over there."

"Right, that's right, we sent you over that way recently." Chief Reynold looked at Nia and smiled awkwardly before returning to me. "Was it really that bad?"

"Any bit of civilization that I came across was falling apart," I recollected with slight exaggeration. "Okay, that therapy center we found wasn't so bad."

"Aye, you must mean ol' Fayley's oasis out there," the chief continued to impress with his knowledge. "I spent time there once when I was a lad with my first Blade."

"Oh? Which Blade?" Now I was curious.

"Fubuki. She's the one with windy knuckle claws." The chief sat back and stared outside. "I was barmy back then. Couldn't keep me head on straight. Couldn't cooperate with sweet Fubuki. So we spent some time there. Cleared the fog out, y'know? I needed to get involved in something, so I started the Solly Mercs." We were struck by his openness. "I tell you, that place was a big deal until our recession."

"It sure would be cool to have something like that here, huh?" I wondered about the possibilities.

"Yeah, but it wouldn't be the same without that lake." Nia grabbed the other badge on the desk and sighed aloud. "Anyway, thank you Reynold, for helping us out. I'm looking forward to competing. It means more to me than it does to Remi."

"Hey now! Whatever's important to you is important to me, okay?" I felt myself win brownie points by saying that.

"I wish you two the best of luck. You do well an' let the grown-ups worry about the politics." Chief Reynold leaned forward to shake our hands. "Got me ticket. I'll be watchin' from grandstand ship E!" (I don't know where on the cloud sea that is, but I'm glad to have a fan nonetheless.)

And so, for the next three weeks, Nia and I prepared for the Cloud Sea Championship. I couldn't think of a better training regimen than to continue to fight monsters and apprehend criminal drivers during our merc missions, although we occasionally trained near the house like before.

During this time, we saw less and less of Reeco McAvas and his Blade entourage. His growing adoration for Nemana caused him to slack off and care less about the tasks at hand. Eventually, he stopped showing up completely and we were glad for that, although that also meant we saw no more of Perun. I tried to relax at Reeco's absence, but I was still worried about the Cloud Sea Championship now that we were officially entered. Our agenda was a personal goal, and it didn't require the overall victory, but what about the other combatants' agendas? How far were they willing to go to reach _their_ goals?


	9. Cloud Sea Championship

Chapter 9 "Cloud Sea Championship"

~ SOLLERTA ~

Finally, the day arrived for the Cloud Sea Championship to commence. We had to wake up gruelingly early to beat the crowds at the Sollerta port. On a positive note, I was glad to see merc teammate Surrey and his Blade Huxley again as we rode the same ship to Argentum.

~ CENTRAL EXCHANGE ~

Argentum couldn't possibly be any busier. This was their biggest event of the year. The central exchange booth was converted into a betting booth, and the line went out the door. A rumor was floating around that the four leaders of the participating nations were in attendance, but I couldn't imagine that they would be with such a high security risk, especially with the rivalry between Mor Ardain and Uraya. A more sensible rumor also making the rounds was that Emperor Nigel of Mor Ardain was using this competition to scout out the strongest non-Urayan drivers and Blades for a very important mission. (Sounds like a farce, although I wouldn't mind getting on the good side of a world leader.)

"Watch out for pickpockets," Surrey warned. "They be out like vermons." We almost lost sight of each other as we pushed our way up the stairs to the flight deck.

~ GOLDMOUTH FLIGHT DECK ~

"Attention combatants!" an organizer shouted through the intercom. "Please be patient while our camera staff puts you in place based on height!" Ironically, we were arranged by Nopon staff who were shorter than all fighters present. Nia and I were placed right in the middle of the mosh pit. I could smell the skill in the air, plus a little bit of unwashed stink. Once the pictures were taken, we dispersed, and I got a chance to see who was there. To my surprise and relief, Reeco was not present.

According to the Argentum betting odds, an Ardainian driver named Pierce and his archer Blade named Arrow were the favorites to win. Also heavily favored were a Urayan driver named Arwin and his almost-nude lady Blade named Zenobia. (How on Alrest is that… that… _garment_ holding up like that?)

As expected, none of the combatants had common Blades with them. I felt out of place, knowing my background as a tender mercenary and a treasure-hunter. Nia, on the other hand, fit right in with the many lady Blades whose attire ranged from elegant to flamboyant.

A few minutes later, we were grouped by nation with sixteen combatants each. Most of the impressive Blades were in the Ardainian and Urayan groups. Smartly, they had us board separate team ships so that there wouldn't be any unauthorized battling while the tournament took place.

Soon, smaller ferry ships took the combatants to their designated Titan ships, each of which had been converted into battle stages with stone slabs on top. Encircling all battle stages were nets to catch anybody knocked out of bounds. I was glad for that since I didn't consider myself a proficient swimmer. Bordering all were the audience ships. Anybody sitting in those seats were taking a risk just like the combatants.

"Opening round matchup number ten! Bentello and Roycen of Regideria versus Remi and Nia of Prudentia!" Our names were called, and a small ferry ship brought us to our first battle stage. I almost tripped when I stepped off which made Nia roll her eyes at me. "Winner is declared by display of white flag, knock out of bounds, down for ten seconds, unconsciousness, or death!" (Death? Egad… for the love of entertainment, huh?)

Bentello and Roycen looked like they came from old money, but I knew that looks could be deceiving. At the crack of a gunshot, our opponent dashed toward us with icy daggers out and teeth gritted. I blocked one of his daggers with my shield and knocked the other out of his hand with the scimitar. When his Blade left him defenseless to go retrieve the wayward weapon, Nia powered the scimitar and I launched our opponent in the air with a forceful swing and watched him land in the net out of bounds. I couldn't believe that we won our opening match in less than a minute.

"Steady hand you've got there, Rem!" Nia wrapped her arms around me.

"Cameras, Nia," I pointed out. "Let's not celebrate too early." She let go and lowered her brows at me. Until now, I hadn't thought about people we knew, notably the Echells, learning of our closeness. (It sure makes you wonder who's seeing this.)

We rode the small ferry ship back to the big team ship carrying my fellow Prudentians and received a wealth of cheers. I high-fived as many of them as I could. As expected, we had a long break before the next round.

"Second round matchup number five! GT-Han and Gregorio of Uraya versus Remi and Nia of Prudentia!" Our names were called, and a small ferry ship took us to the battle stage to meet our next opponent. "Winner is declared by display of white flag, knock out of bounds, down for ten seconds, unconsciousness, or death!" (Still bothers me to hear that.)

The gunshot sounded but our match began with no movement from either of us. I had the scimitar and shield out and cautiously stepped to one side. GT-Han, dressed in grey and black with metal-plated guards on his shoulders and shins, remained still with his eyes closed. He had one hand on his katana and the other on the holster. I noticed that his fancy Blade looked at his driver intently, as if he were waiting for a cue, so I stopped and told Nia to prepare for a counterattack from them.

I feigned a charge forward and stopped short of reaching them. My fake-out worked as his Blade powered him up with the electric element and he put up a shield. Sensing no counterattack after all, I raised the scimitar up and aimed it down like a spade. Understanding my signal, Nia powered it up for a water flower just as it touched the ground. Focusing on blocking with his shield, GT-Han didn't notice that the water reached his feet. I went in for a few hits on his shield and caused him to slip backward. Before he fell, however, he tossed his katana over to his Blade who defended him with a flurry of angry swipes.

"Nia, that Blade's electric and you're water…" I didn't have to finish my sentence. She knew the danger. The tables were turned as we went on the defensive, avoiding every swipe with a couple of close calls. All of the sudden, the opposing driver and Blade fell to their knees and dropped the katana. GT-Han reached out for it, but I swept it away with my foot. After ten seconds of no movement from our opponent, I was declared the winner of this bout.

"That was close, eh?" Nia cut off her power and walked over. "Took a while longer than I expected."

"You tired them out? How? I only hit his shield." I was genuinely confused.

"Got 'em with the water on the ground." Nia tapped her foot.

"That's sneaky… wow… you're dangerous, you know that?" I acted scared and she playfully stuck out her hands like a preying tigress.

Back at the big team ship, I saw that we'd lost half of our group. It was a little deflating but not unexpected. During our wait for the round to end, a small ferry ship brought back Surrey and Huxley.

"Whew! A tough one, that was," he declared in a tired huff. "I'm a bit shagged out, mates." Nia went over to heal him.

"Hold it!" I interrupted. "Are there any rules against healing between matches? We don't want to get disqualified." We all looked at each other until someone got up and went to the crew's cabin. He returned and said that we could only heal on the battlefield. Nia patted Surrey apologetically and returned to sit next to me.

"Third round matchup number three! Remi and Nia of Prudentia versus Brusa and Goliad of Mor Ardain!" We heard the call and boarded the small ferry ship to our battle stage. Waiting for us were a pink-haired girl in a short, frayed rodeo dress and a man wearing a distinguished black hat and sweeping black overcoat. I couldn't tell who was driver and who was Blade until the girl pulled out a megalance and the man began to power it with the earth element. "Winner is declared by display of white flag, knock out of bounds, down for ten seconds, unconsciousness, or death!" (I need to stop thinking about the _worst_ possibility.)

Brusa wasted no time after the gunshot and kicked up a plume of dust to try to blind us. It stung more than anything else. We began our attacking and blocking, but the advantage was to our opponent in this condition.

"How soon until you can wash it all away?" I asked Nia after retreating.

"I'm about ready." She increased her power-feed to me. "Okay, try a…" Out of the dust cloud came Goliad with his megalance and speared me in the stomach. Nia caught me before I fell, but the damage was done. I could barely keep up with their follow-up attacks until the pain went away. "I healed ya, Rem, but I used up what I was saving for… _you-know-what_."

We spent the next two minutes trading blows. In that time, their dust cloud had blown off. I kept hoping for them to drop tired, but they were resilient. It was clear to me that living in the desert of Mor Ardain had toughened them up. I started to fear that Nia's refreshing water might've been helping them.

Finally, Brusa stumbled and fell to one knee. Her Blade gallantly guarded her from my attacks until I was declared the winner because she didn't stand up within ten seconds.

"That was a good one, you two," I complimented them on their performance, but they were in no mood for it.

"Good, _nothing!_" Brusa shouted with a nasty, hateful glare. "At least you'll have a home to go back to!"

"What are you talking about? Your Titan's not _that_ old yet," I said, perhaps in poor taste. Clearly, I wasn't helping them feel better. (Something must be happening afar, but I can't worry about that now.)

Nia and I returned to our big team ship to find only one other Prudentian left. This wasn't boding well. I was sure that we had already lost the nation's cup, but I was more concerned about our next match.

"Rem! Hey! You okay or what?" Nia sat next to me and lifted my shirt. "He got you there, huh?" Thanks to her quick healing during the battle, no marks were left behind. We were both pretty tired at that point. Next came the quarter-finals which I couldn't believe included us.

"Quarter-finals matchup number two! Remi and Nia of Prudentia versus Tey and Saira of Uraya!" Like before, we took the small ferry ship ride back to the battle stage. "Winner is declared by display of white flag, knock out of bounds, down for ten seconds, unconsciousness, or death!" (I must remember to keep count if I'm on the ground.)

Tey looked like a typical Urayan mercenary. His Blade, Saira, had gorgeous golden locks which started to shine once she powered up her driver with the rare light element. At the sound of the gunshot, Tey came at us with knuckle claws primed for the shredding. Blocking him was no trouble until he received a charge of power from his Blade. I stood back and watched him wind up a great ball of light which caused a massive explosion when he tossed it at us. We dodged successfully but couldn't see anything in the ensuing light. Nia grabbed my arm and I held out my shield. It was too risky to move and possibly fall out of bounds.

Suddenly, I felt a weighty impact. I wasn't sure what it was, but I rolled on my back with it and kicked it over my head. When the bright light dissipated, I saw Saira standing by herself with her hands on her head in distress. I stood up and turned around to find Tey caught in the net. _He_ was the weight that I had flipped over me. And just like that, Nia and I were in the semi-finals.

"That one happened… too fast." I turned to Nia in disbelief.

"Are you complaining?" She rested her arm on my shoulder. She wasn't letting her exhaustion get the best of her.

The big team ship was empty when we returned to it. As fast as everything happened, I couldn't believe that we became the sole surviving duo for our nation. (Shucks. Guess that means Surrey's been eliminated as well.)

The crew provided us with an update on the tournament bracket. Our next opponent was the favorite duo, the Ardainian Pierce with his archer Blade Arrow. The other two semi-finalist duos were the Urayan driver Arwin with his busty Blade Zenobia and the Regiderian driver Kent with his golden Blade Naiki.

"We're up against the odds-on favorite, Nia." I gave her another look of worry.

"That's so belter!" She was definitely not displaying any fear. "C'mon Rem! Don't you think it's pretty cool? We've made it as far as these guys."

"I guess none of this has sunken in yet." I stretched out and realized that I had no aches nor pains. The exhaustion was mostly mental. "Have you been healing me?"

"I'm always healing you when I'm using my power out there." She sat with her arms around her knees. "Always a little bit at a time."

"Is this what you wanted? I asked her a minute later. "Is it what you expected?"

"I didn't put my expectations on anything," she answered smartly. "Wherever we end up is a victory to me." (Hopefully we end up back on the flight deck… standing on our own feet.)

"Semi-finals matchup number one! Pierce and Arrow of Mor Ardain versus Remi and Nia of Prudentia!" Like before, we took the small ferry ship ride back to the battle stage, except this time we had all the cameras on us. The other semi-final match was to take place after ours. There stood Pierce, a handsome figure in battle gear typical of a warrior who'd been around the block. Next to him stood his Blade, Arrow, who looked stunning in silver. She appeared to be a cross between a woman and a harpy eagle with a crest of feathers on her forehead and flowy hair down the back.

"Here's to a good, fair fight," Pierce greeted us with his hand held out. I was quite taken by this friendly gesture since none of our previous opponents had done so.

"That it shall be, for better or worse." I shook his hand graciously. "You won this event last year, didn't you?"

"Yes, but the past only matters to those who fear the future." I wasn't sure if he was right about that, but it sure sounded intelligent. We both looked to see our partners shake each other's hands as well.

Nia and I took our positions and waited for the commencing gunshot. The match started with the usual swings and parries. Pierce's weapon was a unique short sword which allowed him to make quick movements, but I knew that there was more to it. Three minutes had gone by and everybody was still feeling fine on the battle stage. (He's a champion. He's building up towards something…)

"Do you think we should act or react?" I asked Nia behind me.

"I'm ready to charge 'em, so I say let's go." I took her suggestion and readied a saber slash. As soon as I dashed at Pierce with my powered-up flurry, he unhooked a clasp on his sword and tossed it to Arrow. By the time she caught it, the sword had opened up and revealed a glowing silver string. Since Pierce had no shield, he blocked himself from all my slashes with his own bare hands. In the meantime, Arrow took to the sky and shot a storm of searing arrows at us. I couldn't block them all and was eventually knocked down. Nia grabbed my arm and pulled me up in time to dodge the next rain of arrows, but it wasn't over just yet. After a third round of arrows, the aptly-named Arrow landed on the stage and handed the dual weapon back to her driver who folded it back into its original shape.

"What should we do next?" I asked my partner.

"Nothing special for now. I'm already a little used up from _getting_ him." I knew she meant her special technique and it was only a matter of time before Pierce got tired. At the same time, however, it meant she couldn't heal me in full for a while.

And so, we repeated our exchange. Our weapons met, he threw his to Arrow and received hits from me, and Arrow returned the favor with arrows from above. My arms were tattooed with their burn marks. The pain was bearable only because of the adrenaline rush from the battle.

Pierce began showing signs of exhaustion, but I was battered and singed with no healing from Nia. "If we both stay on the offensive, I think we're going to fall first." Nia looked at me not wanting to believe my assessment. "I'm beat, you're beat, he's tired, but his Blade is holding up."

"Fine, we'll switch to defense," she said as she stuck out her hand to heal me, but nothing happened. "Rem! I can't…! _Get back!_" Pierce charged at me and knocked me off my feet with sheer strength. I landed on my back and stared up at Arrow who had her next batch of namesake arrows ready. Barely visible above her, I saw the faint glistening of a transparent web which was suspended over the stage like a tent. When Nia tried to heal me again, I saw the web shake and gain opacity for a split-second.

"Nia… stop…" I picked myself off the ground with all the strength I had left and pointed upwards. "Every time… you use ether, it's being absorbed up there." Not only had Arrow's arrows dropped down on us, but they'd also left behind threads which formed the ether-sucking web. (What a diabolical trick…)

Arrow let loose another aerial assault and I held the shield over Nia until I was knocked down again. Pierce received his weapon back and carefully approached us. Nia desperately picked me up with all of her might, but her effort was futile. Both breathless, we looked in each other's eyes for what seemed like a long time, and I knew what needed to be done; I just hoped that she'd accept it. Turning to Pierce, who stopped advancing and sensed my decision, I pulled out and displayed the white flag.

Even at a distance, we could hear the crowds roar. I waved the flag once before falling down to my knees again. Nia held me tightly and buried her face in my neck. Pierce put away his weapon and got down on his knee in front of us. I couldn't have asked for a more merciful opponent.

I didn't think I'd blacked out, yet I didn't remember returning to Argentum's flight deck either. Nia and I were sitting in a makeshift infirmary tent receiving ointment and bandages. Still sapped weak from battle, Nia was unable to heal me her way. It was the first time in a while that I needed actual medical care for injuries.

"_I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry_…" she kept whispering in my ear.

"It's okay… I'll be okay," I whispered back and kissed her on the forehead. "We made it as far as we could. Mission accomplished, right?" She gave me one quick kiss on the lips before we were discharged from the infirmary.

"There they are! Hey, over 'ere!" We looked toward the shouting and saw the Echell family walking towards us. "Congratulations on a magnificent show!" Owen shook my hand with both of his while his younger brother Tommy latched himself onto Nia who accepted the hug.

"What are you guys doing here?" Once again, I didn't think I'd ever see them again.

"When we read the entry list and saw your names, we just had to come watch!" Owen, even in a professionally-pressed dress shirt, a sport coat, and a narrow-brimmed trilby, was acting like a total fan. "Father even placed a bet on you."

"I hope he didn't bet on us winning the whole thing." I looked up at Lord Echell.

"Oh, he did, he did," Owen assured me.

"Right… sorry about that." I tried to force out a laugh, but it didn't happen. "He didn't lose much, did he?"

"He'll be alright. He'll never miss it." I figured he'd say something like that.

"Your display of courage and bravery shall be remembered in the House of Echell for generations," Lord Echell finally spoke. "I am… grateful… to have been able to bear witness to Blade Nia's power." Upon hearing this, Nia freed herself from her biggest fan and extended her hand to Lord Echell. He shook her hand and bowed his head to which she responded with another curtsy.

Meanwhile, the tournament had been going on behind us. In an upset, the Regiderian driver Kent and his Blade Naiki defeated the Urayan driver Arwin and his brash, overzealous Blade Zenobia in the other semi-final match. Since Nia and I were in the infirmary tent, we missed it. Together with the Echells on the flight deck, we watched the final match of Pierce and Arrow versus Kent and Naiki. I couldn't help but root for Pierce after the mercy he showed us.

There were a lot of mixed feelings over this matchup. On one hand, everybody wanted and expected to see a grudge match between Mor Ardain and Uraya. On the other hand, by not happening, this likely meant less political implications between the two nations.

In the end, Kent and Naiki completed the upset with a victory over Pierce and Arrow, so neither Mor Ardain nor Uraya got the bragging rights. I wondered if Pierce lost because of Nia's power from our match. Furthering the upset, Regideria also won the nation's cup thanks to its drivers filling up half of the quarter-finals bracket. (Huh… King Dagas ought to be beside himself with joy right now.)

Before we exited the flight deck, I collected my prize money for making it into the semi-finals. It was the most gold I'd ever received, even more than I'd been paid by the Echells, but I didn't tell them that. Out of curiosity, I also wanted to see the final results in case the rumor about Mor Ardain's scouting turned out to be true.

~ ARGENTUM BAZAAR ~

Back inside, spectators were rife in conversation over what they'd seen. As an underdog Prudentian in the semi-finals, I caused quite a stir in the betting pools. We received a lot of cheers and a couple of boos. The people from Prudentia were excited to see us, anyway. After dinner with the Echells, which went smoothly this time, we parted ways, and Nia and I headed for home.

~ HAGAN ~

The walk back from the port in Sollerta to my house in Hagan was tough without Nia's healing. Unfortunately, there were no armu-taxis running at this late hour. In stark contrast to all the noise from Argentum, it was deafeningly quiet in my cozy hamlet.

What a day it had been. What a life I'd had since bonding with Nia. And what a life we were about to have as local celebrities.


	10. The Good and Bad of Fame

Chapter 10 "The Good and Bad of Fame"

~ HAGAN ~

"Hey… mornin'," Nia whispered in my ear as I slowly and groggily woke up from much-needed sleep. She was lying on top of me and delicately stroking my hair.

"Mmm… must've slept well," I mumbled. "Still sore though…" I put my tender arm around her back.

"I tried to heal you, again, while you were asleep…" she purred. "The wounds were too deep for too long, though."

"You know, doing anything to anybody while they sleep is kind of creepy," I pointed out.

"Do I look like I care right now?" The look in her eye told me she was in the mood for something. "We never did celebrate properly, and I don't see any cameras here." No sooner had she gotten on her hands and knees than a knock on the door put the damper on us. I quickly got dressed, fixed my hair, and answered the door.

"Good morning! Are you the driver, Remi, who competed in yesterday's Cloud Sea Championship?" asked an obnoxious, loud news reporter.

"I am. Why do you ask?" I saw men carrying a tape-recorder and a camera behind the reporter. (This irony hurts.)

"We'd like an interview!" the reporter replied, still in a voice too loud for the morning. "We'd like to get your thoughts on the tourna-"

"_Reporters?!_" Nia shouted behind me. "You've gotta be kiddin-"

"Shhh! Careful what you say," I promptly whispered to her. "They're probably recording already."

"Tell 'em to sod off," she whispered back, clearly peeved.

"I'll answer a few questions, but away from my house, and no pictures, please. This is too close for comfort." I stepped out and pointed to a picnic table across the road. "I'll meet you there in two minutes, and frankly I don't care if you're on live media and need to fill in air space now." I saw the reporter speak into a transmitter on his shirt collar as they headed over to the table.

"Remi, you're too nice, I swear…" Nia looked like she was going to shut the door and not let me back in.

"You're probably right, but this could be an opportunity to promote my treasure-hunting services," I revealed my plan as I stepped back inside and closed the door. "I haven't had a natural, random client in a long time. I could make a lot of money!"

"You already did that yesterday." Nia leaned her head toward my slim case of gold coins from the competition which I had carelessly left on the table overnight.

"Ah yes, well, I'm setting that aside for something good." I opened the case and looked at the money inside.

"Aside? For what?" Her voice was still labored.

"I don't know yet, but I want to do something good with it." I stared out the window to the lowlands. "Something… good for the community, or better yet, the nation."

"There's that much in there, huh?" She finally sounded calm, although perhaps tired from the distress.

"Nia, I could buy a house three times the size as this with the amount I, er, _we_ earned yesterday, but I'm not. This is the best spot in Hagan, and Hagan is the best village in Prudentia." I counted the number of gold coins again. "Okay, maybe not enough to help the _whole_ nation, but maybe enough to get the ball rolling on something that'll eventually help the nation."

"How long have you been thinking about this?" Nia's state of stress had completely toned down to that of curiosity.

"Oh… ever since we talked about that old therapy center with the chief." I referred to the abandoned complex that we visited on the other side of Prudentia. "Obviously at the time I had no means to an end, but I do now."

"To do what? Renovate it?" she brainstormed.

"You know, that's not such a bad idea," I declared as I headed for the door. "Maybe that's what gets the ball rolling for the 'other side' to come back to life as a whole, er, _half_… You know what I mean. It's what the queen wants, right?"

"Rem, you dork," she quipped. "I thought you hated politics."

"You're right, I do." I exited the house and rejoined the reporting crew outside.

"Oh good, you're still here," the reporter said eagerly.

"Oh good, you're still here," I muttered sarcastically. "As I said, I'll just answer a few questions, so I hope you picked out the best ones."

"We did, that we did. Charlie, roll it…" the reporter instructed behind him. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen tuning in to 'Your Weekend with Bernan and Wyles' on K-Sollerta eight-seventy. This is field-reporter Ian Vadie, and we've got a very special guest who's here to quickly talk to us about… you-guessed-it, the Cloud Sea Championship, which took place yesterday at Argentum! I'd like to welcome in Solly Merc Remi. Yes folks, Remi and Blade Nia placed high in the tournament, reaching the semi-final round, not done by a Prudentian since 3947! Remi, how would you assess the feat from yesterday?" ("Evening?" Okay, this isn't live. Good.)

"Well first of all, I didn't even know that Prudentia hadn't reached the semi-finals in that long, so that's pretty neat. I assume that that's why we're talking right now." I had, in fact, no idea that our nation had historically performed that poorly in the competition. "Listen, I'm just grateful to still be here today after the tough battles. I haven't been a driver for that long, so to make it that far was more than an accomplishment in my book."

"Terrific. Now Remi, you displayed an impressive amount of skill out there as your opponents seemingly gave in to you, one-by-one. Can you tell us how you did that?" I was ready for a question like this.

"It's all from the power of my partner, Nia," I answered coyly. "Without her, I'd be toast. She's the one who deserves the credit." (Please don't ask _how_ we did it…)

"Grand, grand. We've time for one more, yes. How did you come by this lovely Blade of yours?" I was ready for a question like this as well.

"I researched her history, you see. As part of the Solly Mercs, I can find just about any treasure people ask about, and there's no greater treasure than her. She's very dear to me and I am so grateful to have her in my life." I hoped that my response was well-balanced between truth and embellishment.

"Right. There you have it, folks. Not only can Remi raise the spirits of the nation, but also find a lost core or two as well. That's all from the field with Ian Vadie. Back to you, Bernan and Wyles in the studio!" He turned around and motioned for his crew to power off. "Alright, that's a wrap. Let's get back to th-"

"Hold it! Hold it!" I stopped them. "Now I have one question for _you_. How on Alrest did you find me here?"

"We asked around for you. We knew you from the Solly Mercs, but they only told us you were in Hagan." I was pretty sure that my teammates were not even allowed to disclose in which village their members lived, but I was glad that they didn't say more.

"Please, if you know what's good for me… and you, don't pass it around," I beseeched. "I am a villager like everyone else and nobody wants uninvited reporters at their door every day."

"Right, right." With my hint ignored and no apology given, the news reporter and his crew picked up their stuff and took the low road. (Strangers know where I live now. Great… That's another thing to worry about.)

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Cheers to Remi, Nia, Surrey, and Huxley!" our chief toasted us with a glass raised to the sun. "They fought valiantly for Prudentia and made us Solly Mercs proud. Let's hear it for our very own!" Everybody who showed up at camp today raised a glass or a whole bottle and drank to our performance.

"Nothing for you, then?" a teammate asked when he saw me with nothing in hand.

"Correct. More for you, then." I turned to the crowd. "Thank you, everybody. Your support is very much appreciated. It goes without saying… If not for my partner, Nia, we'd have never made it as far as we did. Uh… I'm sorry I haven't anything more to add… I'm just glad to be back among familiar faces!" The crowd cheered and I gave the floor to Nia.

"Thank you! Thank you, really. I know we didn't win, but this was a win for me, personally. I… um…" She paused to look at me and I gave her two thumbs-up. "It was very important to me… to see what Remi and I are capable of. And now I know that we can make an impact. Those who stand in our way had better watch out!" She raised her glass to another cheer from the merry crowd. (Nice. Maybe now they'll show her some respect.)

Nia drank to her speech and returned to my side. She looked so happy and more importantly, satisfied with the decisions we'd made. Surrey and Huxley made the next speech, and even though they'd only reached the third round, they still received a warm reception.

"Excuse me, are you driver Remi and Blade Nia?" we heard someone ask us from behind. We turned around to find another reporter and crew.

"Yes, we are." I felt less bothered this time since we were at camp instead of home.

"Splendid. We are from the Sollerta News Station and are wondering if you would answer some questions about the Cloud Sea Championship yesterday." This reporter carried himself much more professionally than the last one, so I was more than happy to stand by for a chat. Nia agreed to take part, as well.

It was a longer but much more pleasant interview, especially with Nia at my side to do half of the talking. The questions were more of the same, until the reporter asked "How would you describe the bond between you two? There has long been a debate about the fundamental rules of driver and Blade. Tell us how it has worked out."

"Rules? There shouldn't be any rules beyond how a driver and Blade battle together, and even then, it shouldn't be confined to a certain way." I felt the passion taking over my words as I spoke them. "You just figure out what works best for both of you and that's all that should matter. Any driver who believes he or she is better than his or her Blade ought to rethink that. Fortunately, we figured out what worked."

"An' I wouldn't have it any other way!" Nia chimed in. "It's important that we do everything together. Winning, losing, I don't care. It really _is_ a bond, y'know?" By now, Surrey and Huxley were standing by, hoping to be interviewed next.

"And now, last question so we can get to your teammate, where do you two see yourselves going from here?" the reporter asked broadly. Nia and I looked at each other in a bit of bewilderment.

"We've put a lot of thought into the future, personal planning, you understand. This is all happening so quickly, you know? We're just taking it in." I paused to try to remember what Pierce had told me before our battle. "My last opponent out there told me to not fear the future. I've got to work on that, first." Nia chuckled at my admission. "I'd like to do something good for Prudentia since it's been a good home for me. That may be my next endeavor. I want to continue hunting treasure for clients as well. We'll see."

"Indeed, we shall. Remi, Nia, it's been a pleasure." The reporter shook our hands while his crew motioned for Surry and Huxley to get ready to jump in. "Thank you once again for representing Prudentia in the Cloud Sea Championship. And also here, folks, is the other duo from the Solly Mercs who represented Prudentia in the Cloud Sea Championship. Please welcome Surrey and his Blade Huxley." While they continued their interview, Nia and I headed over to the mess hall where the party had moved upon the midday meals being served. (I wish every day at camp were this jolly.)

"Enjoyin' yourselves?" Chief Reynold asked as we joined him at his table.

"As much as we can with people asking us this and that." I suddenly felt very tired when I sat down. "Wow… people are exhausting. I'm not sure I like being well-known."

"Hah! Remi, that's the good and bad of fame!" the chief laughed. "Should be good for your side quests, no?" I wasn't sure if he meant my treasure-hunting or my desire to do something for Prudentia.

"About that, chief…" I began to speak. "I've been thinking about that therapy center again. You said it was great, right? It's such a shame to let it go derelict."

"Aye. I'd say it saved me life, it did." He took another spoonful of stew. "What about it?"

"Not to brag, but we earned enough gold from the semi-finals to fix it up." His eyes got wide when I said that. "How do you feel about doing that?" He put down his spoon and stared at his meal for a moment.

"I tell you, that's a mighty noble idea, but who's going to use it?" His question reminded me of the lack of an official road connecting the two sides of Pruduentia. "Our men and women could take it on, but I'd hate to see their efforts be in vain."

"How much would it cost to extend the road through the mountain peaks? It already goes past Hagan." Chief Reynold closed his eyes in deep thought.

"How much did ya win?" he asked, and I told him, quietly. "Right, I'd estimate… hmm… I'd estimate that you've enough for road clearance but probably not for stone-installation. Might have to leave it a dirt road, then." He got up and returned with a sheet of paper and pen. "How bad was the old place beat up?"

"It's not bad, chief," I told him truthfully. "It was clean enough to sleep in for a night. That's why I think I have enou-" I waited for the chief to finish laughing. "Yes, that's why I think I have enough to fix it up. Nothing's fallen over."

"Sure, sure, but what about new staff?" The chief brought up a very good point which I had neglected. "An' they can't be just any ol' docs an' nurses either. They've got to be well-trained therapists." He was right. He knew first-hand, after all.

"Guess I've got some more planning to do." I felt a little down after that.

"I'd say you've planned this out well, you have." He wrote some figures down on paper. "You just need more money. Keep leading the big missions and you'll soon have it." I felt better after he said that. I looked over to Nia who'd been resting her head on her arm, quietly listening to our discussion. We finished our meal and I thanked him for his expertise. Before Nia and I left, the chief handed me his notes and found another table of mates to join.

~ HAGAN ~

When we returned home that late-afternoon, we found two teenage boys peeking through the windows of my house. "Oi! Beat it, you!" Nia shouted, and they ran off, nearly tripping over their shoelaces.

"Wow… do I need a guard for my house now?" I wondered out loud. "I didn't think we'd become _that_ famous. Maybe it's a good thing that we didn't win."

"The villagers don't see much around 'ere, huh?" Nia speculated as we went inside.

"It's a sleepy hamlet. That's why I picked it." I took one more look outside before closing the door.

We enjoyed a nice, peaceful evening at home after what turned out to be another active day. I reached in my bookshelf for my dusty radio and switched it on to K-Sollerta to find the program that had sent the loud, first reporter to my door earlier this morning. While we were listening, I wrote some numbers down below the chief's estimates. Finally, the interview came up. It played out just the way I remembered it, only I hated hearing myself speak. Nia grinned at my discomfort, and luckily, she didn't mind hearing me call her a treasure.

"Not bad," she judged simply. "Wish we could hear the one from camp."

"No way we can, Nia. That one was broadcast live," I explained. "I'm just glad that the morning one was not."

We continued to listen to the program on the radio not expecting much else. When they moved into their news segment, we learned that Regideria, winner of the nation's cup and home of the winning driver and Blade, had been attacked multiple times by unknown, covert ships. The two radio hosts suspected foul play by Mor Ardain or Uraya. (Sounds like the chief was right about competition fallout.)

Next, the two hosts started talking about Mor Ardain's growing unrest surrounding the emperor's handling of Brionac which had apparently expanded since we last encountered them. They discussed the rumor about Emperor Nigel using the Cloud Sea Championship as a scout for the best drivers to assist in fighting back against the dissenting Brionac, ignoring the best from Uraya, of course.

"Everybody says that it was going to be the final year for the competition, and now I'm beginning to believe it." I turned off the radio and put it back on the shelf. "They had a lot to talk about, huh? I should tune in to the news more often."

"Too bad none of it was good news." She returned to the couch to lie down. "It'd be nice if there were no conflicts."

"Conflicts breed change, and change _can_ be good," I said as I wrote a few more notes on the sheet of estimates. (And hopefully I can bring some good change around here.)

"Rem, you _really_ want to go through with that, huh?" She watched me write.

"Yeah, more and more each time I think about it." I looked at her intently. "You know, this sounds a lot like when you wanted to enter the competition."

"It does, yes…" She smiled sweetly, like a kid caught with a hand in the cookie jar. "Don't think I won't help you. I would just rather help stop a war…" she paused for a yawn, "or something… _big_, like that."

"We're not good enough to stop a whole war," I countered.

"We're good enough…" she yawned again, "for something… out there." With a few more yawns, I was sure she was asleep. After filling up the paper with more figures and ideas, I set it aside and got up to kiss my partner on the forehead.

"Goodnight…" I spoke softly and went to bed.

"Hey… mornin'," Nia whispered in my ear as I woke up the next morning with her lying on top of me again.

"Morning…" I mumbled and rubbed my eyes. "How long have you been… here?"

"Oh… I dunno… lost track…" she lazily answered while she ran her fingers through my hair. "We finally gonna celebrate or what?" Her lusty gaze put me in a trance which felt like I was still asleep, still enjoying a most sensational dream. She leaned forward and kissed me spot-on with enough passion to heat up the cold morning air.

Then came a knock on the door… _again_. Nia growled and raised a fist to hit something in frustration but stopped when she realized that it would've been me. "Don't get up. Let 'em give up an' go," she ordered in a huff. We heard another knock on the door, then another, until finally we heard…

"Remi! Nia! It's Akebono from the Solly Mercs!" It wasn't a reporter after all.

"Must be urgent…" I told Nia who looked like she was about to cry… but didn't. "They're only allowed to come to my door if it's important." Reluctantly, she rolled over and let me go. I threw on some clothes, clumsily fixed my hair, and shuffled to the door.

"_Aaahhh!_" I screamed as I opened the door to two Ardainian soldiers, geared up complete with the face masks. I opened the door further to find Akebono, my bodyguard Blade from the Dosilla expedition. I nodded my head to him but glared at the soldiers. "You two scared me out of my wits! Take those blasted masks off!" I didn't care that I was yelling at a couple of soldiers who easily could've shot me even though it wasn't in their jurisdiction.

"Remi!" Nia shouted behind me with her scimitar in hand. "Oh… you have _got_ to be joking…" She put it away and placed a hand on her forehead like she had a migraine.

"My apologies," Akebono began, "but we have a very important request from Mor Ardain. Their emperor sent these two to deliver it specifically to you and Nia."

"That's right," one of the soldiers took over. "His majesty has req-"

"I said take those blasted masks off!" I cut him off sharply. "I can't trust somebody if I can't see their eyes!" The two soldiers looked at each other and removed their masks, revealing a couple of handsome, clean-shaven faces. "Wow…" I blinked a few times. "That's a lot better. Now, what is it?"

"Emperor Nigel requests your services to the Empire of Mor Ardain," the soldier resumed. "You two have been selected to join an elite team of drivers and Blades to assist the empire in a push against our local enemy which has begun to outnumber us." (So, the rumor was true.)

"Against who? The Brionac?" I guessed.

"Precisely!" he confirmed. "Wait, how did you know?"

"No offense, but Mor Ardain is anything but subtle," I told them so. "Besides, we helped you guys stop Brionac moonlighters over a month ago."

"Ah, well the empire appreciates your assistance, just as it will again if you accept his majesty's request," the other soldier spoke.

"If you don't mind, can we please move this conversation away from my house?" Like yesterday, I pointed to the picnic table across the road. "Over there. We'll meet you there in a minute." Once I saw them start to walk that way, I closed the door and turned to Nia. Our eyes met, but I couldn't tell what she was feeling. So I put my arms around her and held her close. With one big sigh, she loosened up and accepted the embrace. "Well then… you _did_ say you wanted to help stop a war."

"I know, I know…" she sighed again. "Did it have to start _now_, though?"

"It _is_ sudden… for us, anyway. But let's hear them out." I reopened the door and led her outside. (What are we about to get ourselves into this time?)

The soldiers laid out the situation to us. Since our last mission to Mor Ardain, the Brionac had grown in numbers and began to take over the residential districts for their expanded barracks. Innocent people were in trouble and the empire had to focus most of their soldiers on their protection. Thus, the best drivers and Blades were deemed necessary to deal with the insurgents.

So, the Empire of Mor Ardain considered us to be elite? While that was up for debate, we couldn't think of any greater honor than that of the confidence of a world leader who was about to depend on us. How could we not accept? My revival project would have to wait. We needed to be heroes first.


	11. Ardainian Takedown

Chapter 11 "Ardainian Takedown"

~ SOLLERTA ~

"This is quite the honor… not only for you, but for the Solly Mercs as a whole," Chief Reynold shared with me privately in the admin canopy. The two Ardainian soldiers sent directly by Emperor Nigel were waiting outside. "This may ease the tension between our nations from their last visit."

"How do you know? Is Queen Sophia privy to this?" I wondered.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah. Her reps brought those Ardainian soldiers here earlier this morning." The chief showed me their signatures on the request form. "It's all on the level. I know, it's surreal, innit?" Feeling dizzy, I stepped back from the desk and had a seat.

"Rem? You okay?" Nia sat next to me with an arm around my back.

"Yeah… it just sunk in," I admitted. "I accepted before I realized how serious it might be. When they said that innocent people were in trouble, my gut-reaction was '_oh no, we've got to help_.'"

"Most people would've said '_not my problem_' and that would've been the end of that," the chief commented from across the room. "Says a lot about you, it does."

"So much happened so quickly, I guess I forgot who I was," I summed up cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Nia was confused. "I know who you are."

"You've only known me as a driver," I told her ipso-facto. "Before we bonded, I was just a proxy… I was a treasure-hunter at best."

"Time to be heroes, now, yeah?" Nia stood and pulled me up.

"And while you're gone, I'll look into that new staff for the center," the chief added. "I know some people from before."

"You'd do that for me?" I asked in amazement.

"Sure would. It's the least I can do after the exposure you brought us." He gave me the thumbs-up. "I jus' got done writing up a ton of registration forms before you got 'ere!" Feeling better after hearing that, I followed Nia out of the canopy and rejoined the two Ardainian soldiers outside.

"You ready to go, Remi?" I nodded my head to them. "To Mor Ardain, then."

~ PORT ANANGHAM ~

"Right, off you go!" The soldiers led us off the ship onto the main commercial port of Mor Ardain. Since the Titans were always slowly moving on the cloud sea, this trip took longer than the previous one to get here. By now, the sun had already begun to set. "Sorry we can't take you directly to the palace. We had to use this one because his majesty doesn't want to risk stowaways sneaking in." After they inspected the ship, they led us through the port and up the dirt path to Alba Cavanich.

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT ~

The capital city was completely empty. We walked through the streets and saw all the shops closed, all shipment crates unattended, and all corners posted with a soldier or two on guard.

"Where is everybody?" I felt compelled to ask.

"They should all be inside. The city's unda lockdoon 'til we push the Brionac back."

Our soldier hosts pointed up at the apartment blocks where curious civilians spied on us from their second-floor windows. It felt like we were on display for them, like we were on parade.

~ NHARIL CENTRAL PLAZA ~

Even under lockdown, I didn't get the sense that there was any immediate danger. If anything, the setting sun cast a pretty glaze upon the hardy city and our shadows were as long as could be. As we got closer to the palace, my wandering eyes fell upon my beautiful partner walking a step behind me.

"What?" She turned to see what I was looking at until she realized it was her.

"Just… admiring… you, again," I confessed. "Feeling proud. I don't know. Maybe the prestige is getting to me."

"Better that than nerves," she smiled and gave me a playful shove.

"Oh I _am_ nervous, I assure you." I was glad that the soldiers didn't tell us to stay in line now that we were on their turf.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

We stepped past the boundary between the city and the palace which we hadn't done during our first visit over a month ago. The bridge leading into the palace was wide and long, seemingly on purpose to give the royal building more grandeur than it already had. We were led to the throughway where a large crowd of people had gathered and set up tents. Behind them were ships using every available space of the royal dock.

"See the ship on the far left?" one of the soldiers pointed. "You two will find an open bunk to sleep in tonight. We currently have men holding the Brionac back and tomorrow morning you drivers and Blades will strike."

"Why not go after 'em now?" Nia questioned their plan.

"We're in the process of evacuating the civilians. The Brionac took over their homes." He pointed to the people in front of us. "We want to have as few of them in harm's way as possible." Seeing their desolate faces suddenly made the situation feel so real and dire. "Besides, we still have one more driver to show up."

"Who's supposed to be here?" I asked next. I had a relative idea based on the tournament results, but I wanted to be sure.

"Honestly, we don't know 'em all ourselves. We were only instructed to retrieve you an' your Blade. Now have a rest. We need you to be bright an' shiny come mornin'." With that, they escorted us to the ship before taking an elevator upstairs.

The ship smelled musky inside, and even though the lights were out, we could tell that it was almost full. Blades' ether lines and marks glowed in the dark. We found an unoccupied cubby in the middle of the top row but the cubby underneath it was taken.

"You take it," Nia whispered. "I'll look for another one." I kissed her on the cheek and climbed up while she went further down the tight hall. A couple of minutes later, she came back. "Hey… there aren't any more." I scooted over until my back was against the wall and she climbed in beside me.

"I wanted you nearby, anyway," I whispered back and draped an arm over her. Finally, I had a quiet moment to think. It seemed like in the blink of an eye, we were set for a high-stakes mission… and home was far, _far_ away. I missed my little house in Hagan already. (Was this really the best decision? When was the last time I slowed down and truly enjoyed life?)

"Arise! Arise!" a loud voice startled everybody out of sleep the next morning. "Assembly outside in five minutes! Assembly outside in five minutes! Five minutes! Don't be late." I squinted and barely recognized a soldier leaving the cabin.

"Ugh… I didn't need that," I muttered and buried my face in Nia's long hair. She gently rubbed my wrist in front of her, almost to a tickle. My head hurt like it was made of glass with a crack down the middle. "I'm in _some_ shape for today…"

"What's the matter?" Nia rolled over to face me.

"Headache…" I managed to get out. "Must've been… the rude awakeni-"

"Shhh…" Nia placed her hand on my forehead and proceeded to her magic. I closed my eyes and felt the cool rush dull the pain and almost lull me back into slumber again. We didn't speak for the next minute, and like before, the dedicated care made me feel so emotionally vulnerable. (Seriously… what would I ever do without her?)

We climbed down from our top-row cubby and had a quick look around to see if we recognized any of our bunkmates. On the far end of the hall, I saw Brusa and Goliad, one of the duos we defeated in the competition. When she saw me, she gave me the same nasty glare that she'd given me before. (Are they here as part of the team or as refugees?)

The sun was beginning to rise as we exited our bunker ship. I felt like we'd been drafted, and in a way, we were. The present soldiers were lined up neatly while we drivers and Blades congregated in a bit of a mess. At a glance, I knew that we had some impressive Blades. I saw the distinctive crest of Arrow, so I assumed that Pierce was here. (Makes sense. They made it into the finals, _and_ they're Ardainian to boot.)

Next, several Blades filed out of another docked bunker ship. I didn't recognize the first few, but then I saw Perceval… and my heart sank. (You can't be serious… Reeco is here, too?)

"His majesty thanks you for agreeing to assist the empire in this operation. I am Special Inquisitor Douglas Càidh, and you will follow my lead into the City of Teddim where the Brionac are currently situated. Blades, please stand by your drivers." Nervously, I studied the man in charge. He didn't look much different from the other soldiers, save for a pair of whipswords sheathed to his belt. (Those aren't rifles. He must be a driver, too.)

A minute later, an elevator descended and out came an individual whom I never thought I'd see in-person… Emperor Nigel himself, and he wasn't alone. Acting like bodyguards, appropriately, were two unique Blades… one blue-haired woman in a most confounding dress, and one stoic man dressed in royal garments that matched the emperor's. The soldiers saluted upon their arrival. Behind them came a commotion of jeers from the refugees, clearly upset that their leader had let the situation deteriorate this far.

"Greetings. I am Emperor Nigel Ardanach, and I'd like to thank you personally for answering my call," he addressed in a calm, reassuring voice. "As you can see, my people are in need of your help as we have been stretched too thin from the growing insurgents." I tried not to look at the refugees when he referenced them. "The Brionac are a traitorous faction of the royal army. You will tell them apart from our troops who will be using the latest rifle, issued this week." He motioned for one of the soldiers to display the distinguishing firearm. "Follow the instructions of the Special Inquisitor and take down the enemy. I will await your return expecting good news." With his speech complete, the emperor returned to the elevator with the male Blade.

"Drivers and Blades, please welcome Lady Brighid, crown jewel of the empire." The voluptuous, blue-haired lady Blade joined Special Inquisitor Càidh at his side. I couldn't figure out how she found her way to him with her eyes closed. "Before we proceed, let us take roll-call. First, our guests. From Regideria, driver Buck with Blade Cavalier, and driver James with Blade Godfrey. From Prudentia, driver Remi with Blade Nia. And now, our very own. Driver Pierce with Blade Arrow, driver Brusa with Blade Goliad, and driver Reeco with Blades Naiki, Perceval, Abalto, Beila, Aggarone, Walenn, Vale, Azami, Gorlatta, Tymbero, Wic, and Devone." We were all staring at this ridiculous entourage by this point.

I was blown away by too many things. First, Reeco was up to _twelve_ Blades now. Second, Walenn was back, presumably in a new life. Third, Perun and Nemana were nowhere to be found. Fourth and most curiously, Naiki was here, as _his_ Blade, not as the champion Kent's. (Is the champion dead?)

"Good, you're all here. I will radio our field-sergeant that we will arrive shortly." Special Inquisitor Càidh received a large map from the soldiers and rolled it onto the pavement. He pointed to where we were, where the insurgents were located, and where to retreat if necessary. I tried my best to memorize it, but I figured I had enough teammates to follow anyway. With everything set, we gathered ourselves and headed back into the capital.

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT ~

It was a very tense walk through the city. I was already nervous from the gravity of the situation itself and having Reeco with us didn't make it any easier. Yet, he paid very little attention to Nia and me. I ended up watching him more, and I could tell that he was very enamored in Brighid. The other men of the group were staring at her walking in front of them as well. (They'd better not get distracted when we're out there.)

"Hey, Remi, Nia." Pierce backed up to us. "Glad you could make it."

"Glad we don't have to fight each other this time," I quipped back.

"Don't let it get you down. You two did great," he cajoled. "In fact, I put in a good word for you with the emperor."

"_Really?_ You thought that highly of us?" I couldn't believe it. "And you spoke to him directly?"

"Aye. Not to gloat, but he's depended on us before." He glanced around our group. "So… I _may_ have had a hand in forming this team."

"Hah! I didn't need your word," Reeco barged into our conversation. "They _knew_ they couldn't afford to go without." Surely everybody in the group heard him, including the Special Inquisitor. I watched Brighid whisper something to him, presumably a comment about their pretentious recruit.

"You 'aven't changed a bit," Nia aptly noted. "Where'd you meet all your new friends?" Reeco grinned and abandoned the conversation as quickly as he'd crashed it. I found it strange that he had no trouble telling us where he found his first Blade last month but had remained coy about the rest. (He's definitely hiding something.)

~ PIPE JUNCTION CORRIDOR, of the Industrial District ~

"Stay put until I give the signal," Special Inquisitor Càidh ordered. "We're about to relieve our first line of men." We had gone through the Industrial District which was more-or-less a large structure built into the land and took us from the upper level to the lower. While waiting on the platform, we heard shouting and shots fired outside.

"And, my fellow Blades," Brighid took a turn to speak, "remember to stay connected to your driver or else the bullets will blow right through." Nia rubbed my shoulder, sensing my adverse reaction to hearing the Special Inquisitor's Blade say that. (No turning back now. I'm in about as deep as…)

"Right! Let's move!" The Special Inquisitor ran outside with Brighid's fiery power creating a dome around him. Reeco and Perceval ran out next, followed by the rest of his Blades. Pierce gave me a quick look before running out next with Arrow, and I made sure to stay right behind them.

~ LABORER'S BRIDGE ~

It was absolute chaos outside. Special Inquisitor Càidh and Brighid had already taken the outdoor stairs up to the City of Teddim. From its houses in the wall, Brionac insurgents aimed their rifles at us and showered us with bullets. I felt Nia's power encase me like never before. A few bullets got me in the legs; but as quickly as I felt the searing pain, Nia's healing soothed it away. I followed Pierce up the stairs with my head down and my shield up.

~ CITY OF TEDDIM ~

"You will answer to the empire!" Special Inquisitor Càidh shouted to the Brionac who greeted him on the platform. His whipswords opened up to two full whips engulfed in Brighid's blue flames. I was in complete awe as I watched bullets disintegrate and flaming whips take out the insurgents left and right. Arrow made the next move as she shot a swarm of arrows into the windows. Nearly all of the enemy shooting ceased after that. "Now's our chance! Climb up there and force 'em out!"

As I climbed the rocky wall to one of the houses, I heard the unsettling sounds of slicing and screaming from both sides, followed by a couple of Brionac falling out. I entered the house and held up my shield which was immediately pelted by the shots of the occupying insurgent. When he paused to reload, I smacked him with the scimitar as hard as I could.

"Nice one. He's out cold, for sure," Nia affirmed as she pulled him by the boots. I lifted him by the shoulders and together we brought him outside. A couple of Ardainian soldiers waved for us to drop the insurgent down to them. "Alright, then! Let's get another one!" And so, we did, as many as we could. Most houses had already been cleared, but we weren't about to complain. I was surprised at how easy the operation had become once we'd gotten past the initial approach.

As much as I hated to have Reeco here, it turned out to be the difference. His dozen Blades, notably the merciless Perceval, were making quick work of the Brionac. The Ardainian soldiers spent less time firing and more time carrying away the subdued enemy. A half-hour later, no more bullets were firing.

"Confirm, all structures clear?" Special Inquisitor Càidh put a hand to his ear, waiting for word from his soldiers doing the final sweep. "Right, all clear. Mission accomplished! Fall out, men, and return to the corridor." Nia and I surveyed the scene from a balcony to the drivers and Blades below.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Nia put her arm around me and leaned in. "Left a bit of a mess, though." I turned around to the house behind us and saw the destruction. (Gosh… I would cry if this were my house.)

"Those bastards!" We heard Brusa scream from the house above. "They ruined everything!" I felt so bad for her. She _was_, indeed, a victim.

We reconvened at a lower terrace while we gave a moment for Brusa to grieve her loss and retrieve a few undamaged belongings. It didn't feel like a victory with the loss of an entire neighborhood.

"You all did well," Brighid complimented our performance. "I should have expected this much. I only wish we'd brought you here sooner."

"Time to go," Special Inquisitor Càidh determined. "Will someone please get those two back here?" He pointed up to Brusa and Goliad.

"Beila and I will go!" Aggarone volunteered and back up the stairs they went.

"Young man," Brighid caught Reeco staring at her, "surely there are _other_ things you can ogle while we wait."

"Perish that. You're so good that you don't even need to open your eyes to see." Reeco crossed his arms and laughed to himself. "You are without doubt the most impressive Blade I've ever met." He walked away and threw his hands in the air. (Tactless as ever, I see.)

Suddenly, somebody grabbed me from behind and held me in a choke. I tried to pry the hand off my neck, but I couldn't muster the strength to do so. I looked around for help but found everybody else in a choke-hold too… everybody else except for Reeco and his Blades. _They_ were the ones doing the choking!

"Wha- …what is the meaning of this?!" Special Inquisitor Càidh managed to spout out with Perceval holding him in place. All along the terrace there were struggles and gasps for air. Even the beast Blade took part, with its jaws firmly locked on Arrow's foot. Now fully in control, Reeco casually walked to the Special Inquisitor with a grin on his face.

"Brighid is the crown jewel of the empire, no?" He grabbed Perceval's katana. "I must have her as my very own." Without hesitation, he slashed away at the Special Inquisitor. Brighid was livid but could do nothing to break free from the hands of Vale who, despite having a smaller frame, was easily holding her back. All of the traitorous Blades were stronger now than they were before, and many were glowing purple, too.

We protested this vile act, but Reeco kept attacking the defenseless Special Inquisitor. Finally, he stopped and inspected his victim closely. "You should be dead by now. I've cut down people faster than this! Why won't you…" He paused, stepped back, and slowly turned around to face Nia. "_You?_ …you bitch! You've been healing him!" He moved toward her as she kept her healing hand out from the golden arms of Naiki.

Never before had I experienced a panic like this. I pushed my weight back to fall on my captor and kicked my feet at Reeco, knocking him onto the platform. I rolled over to see that it was Walenn who had been holding me. She tried to grab the scimitar, but I retrieved it first and knocked her back down again.

With her hand still out, Nia began to feed me some of her power. I wanted to free her, but Naiki was using her as a shield, and the last thing I wanted to do was hit my partner. In my hesitation, I lost track of Reeco who came back with a running charge and rammed me into the railing. Now out of her range, I shouted to Nia to return to healing the Special Inquisitor.

While Reeco and I had our weapons locked in a stalemate, I saw Arrow fly in the air with the beast Blade still attached to her foot. Ignoring the pain, she swooped over to Pierce, who was also stuck in a choke-hold, and retrieved their bow. I yelled at her to shoot Reeco, but instead she aimed at the sky and shot a wayward arrow. (Had she lost her mind?)

A moment later, we heard a slam, and something fell from rooftop to rooftop until it rolled off the rocks and landed next to us. I could not believe my eyes… It was _Nemana_, with a hole singed through one of her wings. Reeco turned around just in time to watch his gothic lover dematerialize back to her core. As if by flip of a switch, the purple aura disappeared and everybody broke free from their captors and started to fight back, except for Nia who still couldn't shake Naiki off of her.

Now back on her feet, Walenn tossed her knuckle claws to Reeco who discarded Perceval's katana. It was two-against-one as she powered him up for a flurry of enraged punches which pushed me further away from my still-grappled partner. Being out of Nia's range made swinging her scimitar useless. Sensing my disadvantage, Reeco knocked it out of my hands, leaving me with only with my standard-grade shield to defend myself. I blocked for dear life until he shoved me off the platform.

I landed on the desert shelf below, but Reeco wasn't done yet. He'd lost his mind, but I was afraid I'd lost feeling to my body from the fall. I couldn't grip my shield anymore as he punched it until it split apart. The mad Ardainian continued pounding away, ripping up my shirt, and doing so much damage that almost made me glad to be numb.

Where was my rescue? I started losing consciousness next. I didn't want to die. I didn't want to die and lose Nia, the first person to make happy. This was not a fate that I was willing to accept…

…

All was dark… but someone was crying. I could still hear someone crying… over me.

"Rem! Remi wake up!" I opened my eyes to see the most beautiful Blade I'd ever known staring down at me in tears. She put her arms around me and buried her face in my neck. I wanted to complete the embrace, but I was too weak to move.

Lying next to me was Reeco, the instigator of this sudden Ardainian takedown, with Walenn's core crystal blackened by his feet. I had no clue who defeated him, but I was glad for it. My life had forever changed again, but at least I still had it… somehow.


	12. Knowing the Limits

Chapter 12 "Knowing the Limits"

~ CITY OF TEDDIM ~

"Nia… wha… what just happened?" I was in a daze, flat on my back, as befitted a victim in the aftermath of an ambush. I had, in fact, an idea of what happened, but it was too outrageous to believe. Reeco McAvas, my Ardainian teammate, had finally stepped over the line in a foolish attempt to steal Lady Brighid from the Empire of Mor Ardain, his _own_ empire. Everybody knew she belonged to the royal family, so he was never going to get away with it. Yet, he tried anyway, and we were all nearly killed because of it.

"_I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…_" Nia whispered in my ear. It felt like déjà vu from the competition, only this time I was lying in the dry desert sand like a pile of bones.

"Don't apologize…" I whispered back. "I shouldn't have put us here… in the first place."

"You almost died." She sat back up and wiped her eyes. "That would've been the end for both of us."

"I guess we weren't ready to face our fate yet after all." I sat up feeling terribly sore all over my body, but I was glad that I could feel anything at all. "Nia, you must've healed me just in time."

"Down there! That's the one, with the Blade!" We heard Brighid's voice from the platform above where Reeco had pushed us off. The jewel of Mor Ardain pointed to us and two medical officers rushed down to tend to us. Next, they draped a dark cloth over Reeco's body and carried him away. When I was finally able to stand, light-headed yet, I picked up our gear, along with Walenn's blackened core, and returned to the group above. Nia had to help me up the stairs though.

We were relieved to see that everyone who was attacked by Reeco and his Blades was awake and alert, including Special Inquisitor Càidh, although he required a stretcher. Nia was able to keep him from dying but not from avoiding injury. There was a pile of blackened core crystals on the platform, presumably of Reeco's Blades.

"What are we going to do with his Blades' cores?" I added Walenn's core to the pile. Curiously, there were only seven of them. (What happened to the others? Did they flee before Reeco died?)

"I have a sneaking suspicion that none of them actually belonged to him," Brighid guessed as Brusa and Goliad returned from their ruined house with two more cores, bringing the total to nine.

"Yes, I had the same suspicion about him too." The strength in my voice was coming back.

"He said he _wanted_ me, like I was to be the prize of his putrid collection." Brighid shuddered at the idea. "And what a time to do it. The randomness is utterly baffling."

"Actually, Lady Brighid, I don't think it was quite so random." I had to speak up.

"Oh?" Her expression of disgust seemed to turn to me.

"H-he used to be a mercenary with me… back on Prudentia," I started to explain. "More than once he wished out loud that he could have… uh… the empire's Blades. But I thought he was joking." My knees became weak and Nia had to hold me still.

"I see. Perhaps this was premeditated after all. He _did_ wait until the army had left the area." Brighid turned to the pile of blackened cores. "One of these Blades wasn't with us at the start… the one whom Arrow shot out of the sky."

"He called her Nemana," I informed her. "She was his favorite."

"She must've been waiting here all along," Brighid deduced. "Perhaps she was the source of their extra strength."

"Whoa…" Nia took a turn to speak. "Is it just me, or were all of his Blades empowered with the dark element, like Nemana?"

"Not all of them, lassie," Pierce corrected her as he joined our conversation. "There was a girl with ice knuckle claws, the one Remi knocked down." He nodded at me. This theory that Nemana had powered Reeco's dark Blades explained why I was able to break free from Walenn who used ice. "And the one keeping you back was Naiki," Pierce resumed, now looking back at Nia. "She used the power of light, and she's naturally _brutally_ strong. I know first-hand from losing the championship to her and Kent."

"That blighter must've killed him and stolen her away, then," Nia suspected of Reeco, gritting her teeth. "Ugh! He probably hacked away at all of 'em to get their Blades."

"Unfortunately, there's no way to know who their previous drivers were," Brighid conceded as she and Pierce picked up the cores. "So, going forward, they will become the property of the empire." She softened her expression at us. "As for you two, I will personally inform his majesty of your efforts." She turned to Pierce briefly. "The same goes for Arrow, too. You all saved the empire from a terrible disaster." With that, she and Pierce left the scene. Everyone else followed soon after. (Depends on the perspective. To me, this is still a disaster.)

"Nia, what do you suppose happened to Perun?" I wondered about our missing friend.

"I dunno, but she's gone now. We can only hope that whoever finds her next isn't some crooked cur. Come on, Rem, no point in sticking around 'ere anymore." Nia put her arm under mine and helped me walk. I looked back once more to where I'd lain and sighed deeply. (Feels like I'm leaving a piece of me behind…)

~ JAKOLO'S INN ~

We spent the next day recovering at the capital's inn, courtesy of the empire. I would've been fine if that was the least that they could do, but soon we were notified that Emperor Nigel wanted a personal audience with us the following day.

Even as the soreness subsided a little bit, I had no desire to leave our room. The lockdown on the city was lifted, so business resumed outside. Similar to when I was bedridden from my illness, Nia went out on her own to bring meals back for us. I had plenty of time by myself, but my mind seemed empty of thought.

"You gonna look at that ceiling all day, Rem?" She spread out our food on the table.

"Trying to process it all…" was all I could come up with. I was still alive, but I felt so dead. I had already forgotten about our impending audience with the emperor.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

The next morning, Nia and I waited awkwardly in the palace throughway. Soldiers passed us back and forth without a word, as if we were part of the background. Also ignored by the soldiers were the refugees from the City of Teddim who remained restless by their tents at the royal dock. I knew I'd stayed inside for a whole day, but it sure looked like no progress had been made since the incidents. Their vacant stares said it all. Finally, two soldiers arrived to escort us into the palace.

~ THRONE ROOM, of the palace ~

"Now arriving, driver Remi and Blade Nia from Prudentia, sir," the emperor's attire-matching Blade announced to him.

"Thank you, Aegaeon, men," Emperor Nigel acknowledged. "Return to your posts." The two soldiers saluted and took the elevator back down while the Blade we now knew as Aegaeon stood by the emperor, opposite Brighid. I was completely petrified to be in the royal throne room. We'd expected to be taken to a conference room on the side.

"Please, have a seat. I promise you they're softer than they look." Emperor Nigel's calm voice and evident sense of humor eased me a little bit. Nia and I sat down as the emperor took a seat on the other side of the table. "First off, how are you feeling?"

"I… I'm feeling… sore, but well enough to make it here." I was not expecting the emperor to be so warm, but his demeanor matched his calm voice perfectly.

"That's good to hear. And you?" he asked the same of Nia.

"I'm doing fine, thank you sir," she responded ladylike. (I guess she can't curtsy while she's sitting.)

"So, Lady Brighid and honorary dignitary Pierce Rathais disclosed to me everything of the events from two days ago, both of the operation and of the unfortunate ambush that ensued." The emperor folded his hands on the table as he spoke. "It comes as a shock that the individual responsible for the surprise attack was Reeco McAvas. We had enjoyed a good working relationship with his family for years, but I cannot imagine it continuing any further." (Now I feel bad for old Professor McAvas.)

"I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful we are that you prevented the traitor's actions from seeing to an end," Emperor Nigel continued. Both Nia and I voluntarily looked over to Brighid at that moment before returning to the emperor. "I hear you were the one who tipped the scales back into our favor," he said to me directly. "And I hear you are the sole reason Special Inquisitor Càidh is still alive," he said to Nia next. We both nodded. "You have, without doubt, saved the empire from further political turmoil had the Special Inquisitor fallen. Your actions cannot go unrewarded. So, in addition to your mercenary renumeration, we bear gifts of gratitude." He motioned for Brighid and Aegaeon to come to his side with small wooden cases.

"Driver Remi and Blade Nia, please rise." We all stood upon the emperor's order. "I, Emperor Nigel Ardanach of the Empire of Mor Ardain, hereby garnish you two with the honorary medals of the empire." Aegaeon took out the medal and hung it around my neck while Brighid did the same for Nia. "You are now honorary dignitaries of the empire which grant you privileges higher than those of which you previously held as mercenaries." Nia and I looked at each other, wide-eyed and overwhelmed.

"Additionally, driver Remi," Emperor Nigel continued, now focused on me, "I would like to personally gift you with a royal shield of the empire." He presented me with the ornate shield which bore the crest of Mor Ardain. "May this one serve you well as a proper replacement for the one you lost in battle." I was speechless. I'd never received any official regalia before, and here I'd received two in one minute.

"Th-thank you, sir, er, sire," I stammered, embarrassingly.

"Thank you, Emperor Nigel," Nia spoke professionally and bowed her head. (If only I could be that graceful…)

"Oh, we're not done yet," the emperor stated with a smile. "As proven by your actions and abilities, we deem you highly valuable to us. It would be in our best interest to formally invite you to accompany the royal army on future missions of top-priority, such as the one against the Brionac."

"You want us to be… _honorary_ soldiers?" I asked. Nia appeared to be interested.

"In a way, yes," Emperor Nigel confirmed, not dropping his royal grin. "We would negotiate suitable salaries and housing plans with your mercenary group on Prudentia. So, what do you say? Will you accept?" The throne room fell silent while all eyes fell on me. I looked down at the royal shield in my hands and the medal around my neck. This reminded me of the pressure from the personal request of the Echells, only this decision had more immediate consequences.

"You want me to decide, right here and now?" Emperor Nigel nodded at my question. I looked at Nia whose bright eyes seemed to tell me that she was hoping for me to accept. But deep down, I knew that I could not. While my mind was still foggy, this was one thing that was clear to me. We had reached our limits twice by now, and the second time nearly ended us. I was not willing to risk going past it again.

"I appreciate the recognition, the gifts, the offer, but…" I looked at Nia one more time and saw her disappointment immediately. "But it is not something that would be in the best interest for Nia and me. So, your offer is declined."

"I understand." Emperor Nigel dropped his smile but didn't express any disappointment. "It is asking a lot of you, especially after you'd risked your life for us already. We cannot judge you for that." He stepped forward to shake our hands. "Thank you, again. May peace and happiness always be with you. This concludes our session today." Once finished, he returned to his throne and Aegaeon escorted Nia and I to the elevator.

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT ~

On our way back to the inn, I started to lag behind Nia while I fumbled to keep a cloth draped over the shield. I was sure that the local Ardainian people wouldn't have taken kindly to see a foreigner tote around an official royal shield like I'd just bought it from a flea market.

~ JAKOLO'S INN ~

We returned to our room at the inn, but not a word was spoken between us. I leaned my new shield against the wall and looked at the bustling city outside. Life was going on, but I felt stuck in an awkward place. I had just turned down the greatest offer of my life, on top of all the things that I hadn't yet sorted out prior to the near-death experience. We even had our brunch in silence. That was, until…

"Rem… you aren't seriously…" Nia started to talk but paused and rubbed her forehead. "You aren't serious about turning them down, are you?"

"Yes I am," I answered right away. "We can't endure another onslaught like _that_, again."

"C'mon, that doesn't count," she contended. "I'm talking about teaming up with Brighid again and knocking out the bad guys or saving the people."

"There's no guarantee that the next raid won't have another surprise attack tagged onto it," I argued back. "Nobody likes the Ardainian royal army. You saw the people in the tents. There will probably be another backstabbing like Reeco's in due time, and we don't need to be stuck in the middle of it."

"But we'll be better next time." She gave me her pouting face again, only this time it wasn't quite so endearing.

"Nia, our bond has always survived on knowing the limits. We found them. We nearly met an early fate because we found them again." The more I spoke, the more frustration I sensed from her. "Maybe _you_ can take it, but I can't, not anymore. The whole debacle taught me that I need to have more self-discipline. It is the Prudentian way to…"

"I don't flamin' care about that stupid Prudentian way!" Nia cut me off with a fiery tone which nearly made me choke on my food.

"Then what _do_ you care about?" I shot back. "I thought you wanted to see how far we could go."

"I do, but we can still go further!" she countered, clenching her fists.

"No… no we can't. We went as far as we could." I tried to bring the noise level back down. This was the first time I'd ever been cross with her, and I was not enjoying it. "Your abilities are amazing, okay? But they're only as good as the driver wielding them. I might be holding you back… In fact, I _know_ I'm holding you back. I should've never been a driver in the first place…"

"The only thing holding _you_ back is your own self-pity!" She raised her voice again. "You say you're not a driver. To be a driver means to have a Blade. Well look at me. I'm here! I'm here 'cause of you. I can only exist with a driver, and you're the one. So deal with it." She made it sound like resonating with her core crystal was a bad thing.

"I nearly died… you said it yourself," I reminded, "I couldn't feel anythi-"

"It's not just from that, Rem. You've _never_ had the confidence." This time I knew she was wrong.

"Who was the one who wanted to bring us here in the first place?" I referred to the morning the two soldiers showed up at our door. "If I recall, _you_ were the one showing reluctance." Nia hissed and backed away in irritation. I waited a minute before speaking again. "Where is all of this coming from, anyway? Have I been bothering you all along and you haven't said anything until now?"

"No… it's not that…" she trailed off, finally sounding a little less exasperated. "I just think that you're making the biggest mistake of your life by turning 'em down. We're passing up a great honor."

"But they gave us medals of honor, Nia." I took mine out of the wooden case. "And let's not forget about our mark in the Cloud Sea Championship. We're celebrities back home. We don't need to be celebrities here, too."

The argument didn't go anywhere after that. Perhaps that was all that needed to be said. We both sat back and stared each other down. For once we weren't seeing the dedication in our eyes. I couldn't comprehend how we had gone from holding onto each other two days ago to yelling at each other today. (This isn't right. What happened to us?)

"Nia?" I tried again. "I'm sorry I made the decision for both of us… without consulting with you first. But you have to know I made the wise decision." She stayed silent and finished her meal, but I couldn't finish mine after that. My foggy state of mind had become heavier now with my own partner giving me the silent treatment.

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT ~

We checked out of the inn shortly after our spat. Nia walked in front of me and seemed to keep her distance, or maybe I was starting to lag behind with all of our gear and gifts again. I couldn't tell. It was a difficult walk, nonetheless.

~ KEDEIGH GATE ~

"Excuse me… you two…" We turned to see who was calling to us. It was a young woman with a toddler by her feet.

"Yes? Can we help you?" I stopped and addressed her.

"Yes… uh… sorry to bother you." She was a little shy despite being the one to initiate the conversation. "My aunt lives, er… used to live in the City of Teddim, until the Brionac took over her home."

"We were there. We saw it… I'm sorry for her loss." I sympathized.

"Yeah… I just wanted to, you know… thank you, both, for kicking them out." She seemed relieved after saying it.

"You're welcome. We help out when we can." I glanced over to Nia when I said that, thinking back to our argument. "Really, though, you should thank your leader. He's the one who asked us to come over here to help."

"I will, thanks again…" She excused herself and held out her child's hand to wave bye-bye. Nia and I waved back before we headed for the port for our ride home to Prudentia.

~ PORT ANANGHAM ~

We still didn't say anything to each other as we waited for our ship. I wasn't sure how to feel about our little chat with the civilian, either. It was nice to be thanked, and it supported Nia's desire to help out the people, but I knew that the next person that I needed to help was myself. For all that we had accomplished, I sure felt like a loser. At the moment, the heaviest thing on my mind was my disagreement with Nia, and it was the main issue that I wanted to sort out upon our return home.


	13. Highs and Lows

Chapter 13 "Highs and Lows"

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Gad…" That's what Chief Reynold came up with after I told him the tale upon our arrival to camp that night. "You look like you've been through a wringer. You need to stop flirtin' with death, I say."

"It wasn't my idea. Reeco finally flipped." I took a seat in the admin canopy while Nia stayed by the entrance. "I tell you, chief, I'd never been so scared in all my life. I thought I was going to die and he'd… take her away…" I couldn't help but look to Nia when I said that, but she continued to stare outside. (No reaction?)

"Listen, Remi, if you need some time at home, I totally understand. I've been a mercenary chief for decades, so I know debilitation when I see it." The chief finished reviewing the logbook and put it aside. "So… Reeco, huh? That's not going to make us look any bright for having him with us for as long as we did. I was hoping this joint-venture would improve things between us and Mor Ardain."

"He _was_ Ardainian, chief, and he turned on his own country just to try to fulfill a perverted, selfish goal," I assuaged. "I'd say they made a bad impression upon themselves. If anything, _we_ made a good impression." I showed him the medals and uncovered my new shield.

"Zounds! Look… at… _that_…" I handed him the shield first. "Remi, this is a _royal_ shield! Only world leaders give them out. Did you… did you get it from the emperor himself?"

"Yes sir. We both received medals as well." I handed him our medals which he inspected with a jeweler's loupe.

"Jove, yes, they've got the official insignia on 'em, they do." He handed them back. "First you take the lead while I'm out sick, then you impress in the championship, and now you've got Mor Ardain in your corner. Next thing I know, you'll be reopening that old Blade therapy center!" (Good gosh… how could I forget about that?)

"Oh wow, chief…" Simply remembering all of the responsibilities required to restore the center filled me with fatigue. "I'm not sure I'm in any shape to deal with that right now."

"I see that, I see that, but you ought to know… I made some progress on it while you were away." The chief perked me up in a heartbeat. "I got in-touch with some folks. Got some young prospects lined up, I do. One of 'em is the daughter of the main doctor who helped me."

"Wow… so we're actually going to do this, huh?" I was practically leaning over his desk at that point.

"I'd say we have to, now. I went ahead and had our people clear out a path already." The chief continued to surprise me. "Don't worry about that one, but obviously we'll need your investment for renovations before we can begin fixing up the old place."

"Investment?" I repeated. "I think I still need to save up, first."

"Well, Remi, as chief here, I get to see all payments that come in from our clients." I liked where he was going with this. "Working for royalty sure did you well."

"You mean we can go straight into renovations, too?" I asked in earnest. The chief chuckled and took out an envelope.

"We can, but not for the whole thing, I'd imagine." He showed me the check with a royal stamp on it. "Can't fix up every building just yet, but it's a start. If you'd like to invest now, I'll need your endorsement."

"What do you think, Nia?" I consulted my partner.

"If it's what you want…" She replied indifferently. "Just make sure they don't dirty up the lake."

"Right. I'll put that in the instructions," Reynold assured her with a chiefly smile. I hoped that she would lighten up a little, but her demeanor didn't change. This meeting with the chief was serving only as a temporary diversion from the issues that she and I still needed to resolve.

And so, I signed, and the project was officially greenlit. I wondered if I was making another decision too quickly, but I took confidence in our prior research and in the progress so far.

"So, what's next?" I wondered, looking at the incredible numbers on the desk.

"Should take a few days to get the necessary supplies, I reckon." The chief retrieved a binder full of contacts. "And hopefully the armu folks won't mind extending their routes."

"We'll need them for sure," I concurred. "And hopefully they're still running their taxis at this hour. I'm still sore."

"Aye. You rest up and leave it to me," the chief ordered. "I can't remember the last project that inspired me like this one has." Even though this was originally my idea, I had no problem passing the lead to him, especially after the last few days. I thanked the chief for all of his help and left for home with Nia.

~ HAGAN ~

When we reached my house and saw that it was still the same as we'd left it, I gave it a hug. Nia rolled her eyes at me as she walked in. Once inside, I moved some items off of the mantle and fitted my new shield in place.

"Why are you displaying it?" she asked. "Won't you need it for the next mission?"

"There won't be another mission that requires a shield," I answered. "Besides, it's much too valuable to scratch up from some skirmish." Nia was scowling again.

"You can't be serious about that, too." She folded her arms and shook her head. "Alright, Rem, I can understand not wanting to take on the really dangerous ones, but you can't quit altogether! And I swear, we are _not_ going to spend our time cleaning up rock piles or cutting away overgrown grass!"

"Our teammates just did," I pointed out, to which she sighed loudly.

"Rem! We are better than that." She walked up to me, still frowning and arms folded. "We know what we _can_ do, so what's the point in not doin' it?" Our eyes met again, this time with a little less hostility than before. At that moment, there wasn't anything that I wanted more than to find a happy medium between us.

"Nia…" I started to speak as exhaustion settled in. "I'm tender right now, okay? But please give me time, and we'll get back to the bigger missions, like the one on the coast." We stood there in contemplative silence, and I started to wonder if we were going to settle this before bedtime or not. To my relief, she finally softened her stance and took another step closer.

"That's fine. Ultimately, it's up to you. We're only good if we do things together, at the same pace." She reached out to lift my shirt and examine what she wasn't able to heal. "Hey… I'm sorry… about earlier." She took a deep breath and let go. "I got caught up in the hype, y'know?"

"I get it. I probably would've gotten caught up in it, too, if not for what happened out there." Sensing a calming of the waters, I slowly put my arms around her. I half-expected resistance, but she let me hold her close. I took a deep breath myself and almost choked up as I was filled with the sweet comfort that our lives were still going onward. We whispered "goodnight" to each other before we retired for the night and went to sleep.

"Hey…" Nia whispered in my ear as I woke up the next morning with her lying on top of me again.

"Morning…" I mumbled and rubbed my eyes. "How long have you…?"

"Half-hour… tops…" she answered as she ran her fingers through my hair. "You still sore?" She lowered her hand, squeezed my shoulder, then lowered it again to where I'd been badly beaten from the ambush.

"Just a little bit, yeah. I didn't really sleep well. Something was bothering me…" I breathed out with a shiver from her hand now tracing lower and lower until it disappeared under the blankets.

"Oh? Well, I'm sorry I can't take more of the pain out," she sighed with a tired grin. "However, if there's anything else I can do…"

"Nia, wait." I grabbed her wrist. "Are we okay? Are we _good_, going forward?"

"Yeah, I had some time to think, earlier. I'm always gettin' up early… walkin' around… lookin' out the window… It's no fun bein' mad, Rem." She scooted closer and kissed me softly on the lips. After yesterday, I wasn't sure if we'd ever share one again. "We're good. If you want to take it slowly, then we will."

With that, I let go of her wrist and rested my arm on her back. As she slowly slid her hand deeper under the blankets, I ran mine up and down from her shoulders to the curve of her butt. She wasn't wearing anything, and her skin felt so smooth. I flinched slightly when she found what she was looking for.

Very gently, she went to work on me with the soft kneading of her fingers. Not wanting to let her get too far ahead, I reached further down and found the right place. Her body was already prepared for my ministrations to her as I carefully explored around. She raised her leg in response, resting her knee just below where her hand had reached me under the covers.

We continued this for a couple of minutes before I needed to kick the blankets off. As I did so, we got our first true looks at each other completely open and vulnerable. I felt ugly compared to her, but she seemed to like what she saw as much as I liked what I was seeing.

I resumed my position on my back and she got on her hands and knees over me. Her long hair tickled my shoulders as she looked down with desire. I almost forgot to breathe with the mounting anticipation. Slowly, she lowered herself and I gladly accepted her onto me. I wasn't sure who let out the first huff from the contact, but the feeling was indescribable.

We stayed there for a minute to take it in before I put my hands on her hips and encouraged her to get a rhythm going. My grip was secure as she took us on an incredible ride. In my inexperience, I knew I wasn't going to last long. Whether or not she sensed it, she kept up a good pace, with her breathing getting heavier every time. Soon began that tightening sensation which I hadn't felt in an ingloriously long time. My arms moved up to her back to hold her firmly and we closed our eyes to concentrate. Like before, I kissed her on her cheek to push her over the edge. Knowing that she was there brought me over as well, and together we trembled for as long as we could make it last.

Nobody interrupted us this time. If there had been knocking on the door, then we didn't hear it. When it was all over, she rolled over next to me so we could catch our breaths. At last silence took over the room. I could faintly hear life going on outside… the rustling of the leaves in the wind, the rattling of wagon wheels of armu-farmers. We might have fallen back asleep if it weren't still morning. I turned to look at my beautiful partner in the afterglow.

"Feel better now?" she managed to get out between breaths.

"I'd be lying if I said no…" I stretched out and winced a little from the soreness that remained. "Guess it's going to be a while before it goes away completely." Another minute of silence went by.

"I wonder if I was ever like this in a past life," she pondered, sounding less winded now.

"What do you mean?" I rolled to my side but had to turn back from the pain which seemed to have been exacerbated by our activity.

"Y'know… being with my driver… bonding _this way_…" She seemed to shy around what she was trying to say, but I got the gist. "It's not usual for a driver and Blade to go this far."

"I don't know about that. It's probably more common than you think," I speculated. "All I know is that you're my first."

"_No_… really? C'mon, Rem." Plainly, she didn't believe it. "You tellin' me that you've never been with anyone before?"

"Look at me. I don't think anyone would exactly call me pretty." She lowered her brows when I said that. "Look at you though. All drivers considered, I'm probably not your first, and I probably won't be your last."

"You think I'll fall for someone in another life?" She sat up and stretched.

"I'd say so." I shivered at the idea. "Now I'm sorry I thought of it…" Nia laughed at my self-made discomfort and returned to the living room. (She'll probably fall for some poor idiot who's too thick to notice.)

We spent the whole day indoors, and I was perfectly fine with that.

We were finally getting the time off we deserved. However, while my body continued to heal on its own, my mind remained a foggy mess. Despite our reconciliation and celebration, I didn't feel like all was well, at least with myself. For the next few days, I found it difficult to fall asleep and even more difficult to get out of bed. Worst of all, I began to relive the terrible ambush in my sleep. It woke me in the middle of the night.

"Nia?" I saw her standing by the window looking outside. The moon illuminated the night sky and provided a little light into the living room as well.

"Remi? What are you doin' up still?" She came over to me and felt the sweat on my forehead. "Are you getting sick again?"

"No, not that." I sat down on the couch, still warm from where Nia had rested. "I saw it… the whole thing, from Mor Ardain. Reeco, Walenn, those claws… ripping me apart. I thought I died again."

"Oh, Rem… I'm so sorry," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around my head. She couldn't think of anything more to say, but simply having her there was sufficient. The nightmare messed with my perception of reality, and I had to make sure that Nia and I were still alive. Eventually, we fell back asleep the way we were and didn't wake up until noon the next day.

It had been four days since I last stepped outside. That needed to change. I opened the door and saw my cozy little hamlet of Hagan. All was normal. The villagers went about their day like nothing bad had happened. I kept expecting to see Reeco walk around the corner, but he never did. He was dead, yet I was haunted by his cruel deed.

Nia and I sat by the fountain and tried to take in life as it continued. She always enjoyed her time by the fountain, but not this time when she saw the emptiness in my eyes. Whatever object I looked at seemed to dilute of its color. It became easy to imagine things withering away. (This is creepier than anything I'd read in my books.)

"What's the matter?" She couldn't ignore my disturbed state any longer.

"I wish I knew." I blinked, hoping to reset what I was seeing. "Nothing feels right." I'd experienced the highs and lows in too quick a succession that I no longer knew what was supposed to be normal. Everything was a blur.

I tried to focus on objects in motion so that my morbid imagination wouldn't make them turn gray and die. The easiest things to latch onto were the armu-taxis going about their routes. Then it dawned on me. In my funk, I'd forgotten about the project again. (Oh yeah… the therapy center. I wonder if these farmers are going there now?)

"Excuse me, sir!" I got up and called to the next armu-farmer who rode by. "Where's the furthest you can go?"

"I don't go past the villages," he told me, "but others go past the mountains, now."

"Will you take us to the Solly Mercs, please?" I wanted to check in on our progress and focus on something positive for the time being.

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Sorry Remi, but Chief Reynold isn't in," his secretary informed us. "He led a team to the 'other side' this morning. Oh, this is _your_ request, isn't it?" (The chief must've submitted it for me.)

"It is," I confirmed. "Do you know for how long they'll be out, today?"

"All day, with two teams to alternate duties," she read from his list of instructions.

"Remi…" Nia tugged on my sleeve. "Do you want to go and see them?" I knew I had to, lest I sat around and risked the dark cloud taking over me again.

"Yeah, but first…" I turned back to the secretary, "I'd like to request housesitting." (Last thing I need is for someone to steal the emperor's gifts.)

Fortunately, Akebono, my bodyguard from the Dosilla journey, was one of the common Blades available, so I enlisted his help at once. While in the mess hall, I gathered some vittles in case this turned out to be a lengthy trip.

"You don't think we'll be back tonight?" Nia asked when she saw me stock up.

"Better to be safe than sorry." I handed her an apple. "It _is_ the 'other side' still."

~ HAGAN ~

"Make yourself at home," I told Akebono when our armu-taxi made a stop by my house. "Don't let anyone in, unless it's Nia or me, of course."

"Will you be home tonight, then?" he inquired.

"I'd like to, but you're here just in case I'm not able." I gave him a handshake. "Can't think of any other Solly Blade I'd trust. Thanks for doing this." He nodded simply, still a Blade of few words. Nia gave him the peace sign before she and I got back on the farmer's carriage to continue our ride past the villages.

~ PRUDENTIAN PEAKS ~

"Feels like it's been years since we last went through here." This armu-farmer was indeed taking us past the old endpoint. The Solly Mercs had done a great job cleaning up and making a path up the mountain. They had even removed boulders and filled in the holes left thereafter to prevent wagon wheels from getting stuck. At this point, it was only a matter of getting the word out about this extended route.

~ THERAPY CENTER, formerly abandoned, now under reconstruction ~

Riding by carriage on a manicured road to the therapy center took half the time it took by walking there on foot the first time. The progress to the place was evident with fresh wood on the walls and rooves. (Who knew my teammates were competent carpenters?)

"Oh hey, ya made it!" Chief Reynold was happy to see us.

"Figured I'd find you here." I paid the farmer for the ride and joined the chief. "This is… fantastic. I didn't expect to see so much done already."

"Everybody's lovin' your idea, Remi!" The chief took Nia and I on a tour. "To be realistic, though, it's not going to be ready for at least another month." He showed me his to-do list. "It's just as well that we'll need time to advertise. It won't do any good without people to help, y'know?"

"And what's going on over here?" I pointed to a particular building that was being torn down.

"As I anticipated, we didn't have the budget to fix up everything right away. We're scrimping by scrapping this one so its materials can go toward the rest of 'em." He picked up a long piece of lumber. "See this? Once a wall, soon a bench!" It was nice to see him enjoy this project.

"Hand me a tool, chief. Put me on. I need to keep busy." I looked to Nia. "And if anyone gets hurt, we now have a healer onsite." She stuck her tongue at me and headed for the lake.

"You got it." He gave me a hammer and a box of nails. "And Nia, don't worry, the water's still clean!"

We all worked through the afternoon until the sun began to set. After supper by campfire, Chief Reynold rounded up half the team to take a ride back to Sollerta and gave directions for the other half of the team to follow in the morning.

"You comin' back with us, Remi?" he asked as the armu-taxi readied up.

"Probably better that I stay… and stay involved." I looked at the progress that we'd made. "Can't let my demons catch me slacking."

"Demons, you say?" The chief looked concerned. "Somethin' botherin' ya?"

"I haven't been the same since Mor Ardain, chief. Been having nightmares about it. Can't sleep at night…" I tried to keep a brave face during my confession. "If I'm doing nothing, everything just… stinks.

"Oh? Down in the dumps, are ya?" the chief put it accurately.

"You could say that." Nia came by my side at that moment. "I may not have lost my life out there, but I definitely lost something."

"Cor blimey, Remi…" The chief crossed his arms and walked toward us. "Remember when I told ya that I went here as a patient long ago?" I nodded. "Y'know _why_ I went here? I nearly died, too." He took Nia and I to the side of the road, away from the waiting crew. "I was such a stupid git that I nearly died a fool's death. Not callin' ya stupid by any means, now, but the end result was much the same."

"Maybe I ought to be the first patient once we get this place running again." Initially, I meant it in jest, but it made so much sense.

"I don't think you can afford to wait that long," he wagered. "It's only going to get worse. Post-traumatic stress isn't something that just goes away."

"What do you suggest I do, then? You said you had doctors lined up. Can you bring one over?" I sounded more desperate than I intended.

"No, but you might consider something that they tried with me." I was all ears. "If you can make another trip, then perhaps you ought to go back to Mor Ardain."

"Are you kidding? That's where I almost died!" I covered my mouth in embarrassment.

"Aye, but that's _exactly_ the reason, mind you," he began to explain. "Maybe if you revisit the scene of the incident, then, in your mind, you'll regain some control that you lost. You'll get to close the book _your way_." I couldn't come up with anything to say to that. I looked to Nia for support.

"I'll be there with you all the way," she encouraged.

"Think about it, anyway. All I can say is that it helped me a fair bit," Chief Reynold claimed as he turned to leave. "Keep your head up. The Solly Mercs need you. I'll return in the morning." I waved to the chief as he rejoined the crew before they rode back up the mountain.

"I meant what I said, Rem," Nia reiterated. "I'll be there for you if you want to try it." I kept searching for an excuse to deny it, but it was too good an idea to put down. At the moment, it was also the only idea that had been offered to me. I knew I needed to do something, or else I'd turn into my own worst enemy.


	14. A Life to Rebuild

Chapter 14 "A Life to Rebuild"

~ THERAPY CENTER, under reconstruction ~

The sun rose on another beautiful, gloomy day. The only clouds in the sky were the ones floating over my head. I didn't need a doctor to tell me that I was suffering from issues related to the ambush in Mor Ardain. My thoughts were consumed by it, with the worst being nightmares. Something needed to be done, and Chief Reynold had suggested that I revisit the scene of the trauma in an attempt to reclaim what I'd lost.

There was irony in my needing therapy while I was bringing back a therapy center. Hammering nails and refitting windows could only distract me so much before the haunting images reentered my mind.

"So, have you thought more about the chief's idea?" Nia found me sitting alone on a bricked back-patio which we'd completed earlier.

"Yes…" I scooted over for her. "Fancy another trip tomorrow?"

"We're gonna try it?" Her eyes lit up. "I'm all for it if you are."

"I have to try it. Besides, I don't want to associate an entire country with this bad memory." We watched our teammates continue their tasks. In a way, renovating the therapy center was therapy in itself. As I leaned back and observed our surroundings, particularly the lake, the river it fed, and the majestic mountains, I understood how this location was the perfect retreat from noisy life. Perhaps this seclusion was the point. "I hate to leave this place, but yes, tomorrow we'll be back in Mor Ardain."

That night, as the split-teams switched places, Nia and I joined the one on the armu-taxi ride back to the villages.

"Wait up, chief! We're coming with you tonight!" He saved a spot for us up front.

"Righto, you two. Hop on!" The chief signaled for the contracted armu-farmer to set off.

~ PRUDENTIAN PEAKS ~

"You all did great with the road," I complimented the crew as we rode through the mountains. "I came through here on foot last month and it wore me out."

"Maybe after we finish with the center, we can install some lights up here, too." Chief Reynold hooked a lantern to a stick and raised it over the carriage. "We've got to make this road as convenient as possible, don't you think?"

"Oh… right." I realized I hadn't made room for it in my budget.

"We can worry 'bout that later. I imagine you've got something else to do, first." He read my mind.

"We're going, chief," I confirmed. "We'll be in Mor Ardain tomorrow."

"Good. Even if it doesn't clear everything away, at least you're doing something for it." And he was probably right. Without anyone's suggestion, I might've done nothing and let the problem get worse.

~ HAGAN ~

"Take care, Remi, Nia," the chief hollered as the taxi dropped us off at my house. "And don't come back 'til you're feelin' better, y'hear?"

"Yes sir." I shook his hand and waved to my teammates. "I'll be better next time you see me, chief." (I hope…)

Although I had my key, I knocked on the front door of my house to give Akebono the heads-up. He stood to attention with his greataxe balanced on the floor like a soldier on-guard.

"We're back," I announced. "Spent a day out there after all."

"Was your trip satisfactory?" he asked, like a proper caretaker.

"I don't know about satisfactory, but certainly necessary." I checked on our valuables while Nia plopped herself down on the couch. "I hope you'll be available to housesit again tomorrow."

"Will you need me every time you go out?" Akebono brought up a good point. I couldn't rely on him all the time since he was a Blade of the Solly Mercs, not of my own.

"I prefer you over anyone else." I walked him to the door. "Anyway, thanks. Hopefully I'll see you again tomorrow morning." After he left, I started packing for our third trip to Mor Ardain in six weeks.

~ SOLLERTA ~

The next morning, we stopped by camp to let everyone know of our absence for a couple of days.

"Are you looking for Chief Reynold?" the secretary assumed as I approached the admin desk. "He left with a crew an hour ago."

"Actually, I'm here to tell you that I'll be gone again. Two days, at least," I informed her as I took a request form. "For now, I'd like to request another housesitting, preferably Akebono if he's available."

"He is, and very well then." She perused the logbook before returning to me. "Pardon my intrusion, but is everything okay? We haven't had you down for a mission in over a week." I wasn't expecting her to care. (Perhaps the chief said something to her?)

"Has it really been that long?" I looked to Nia who shrugged. "Anyway, I'm… okay. It's complicated. I need to get out and clear my head."

"I see. Thanks for letting me know. You have a safe trip, now." It was a typical thing to say, but after our last visit to Mor Ardain, it was something to take to heart.

~ PORT ANANGHAM ~

When we arrived to Mor Ardain, the first thing we saw were more tents with displaced civilians. Were these the same people from Teddim or was another city overtaken by insurgents? Either way, it wasn't a good sign for the empire. (It sure makes me forget about _my_ problems momentarily. At least I still have a home.)

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT ~

We got some curious looks as we walked through the capital city. Perhaps the locals remembered us from our prior visits.

"Hold up, Nia. I need to make a purchase, over here." I wanted to run one errand before we checked into the inn. We stopped by the blacksmith's corner where I treated myself to a new, standard-grade shield, one that I could actually use and not worry about scratching up. "Don't jump to any conclusions now. I'm not about to search for a monster to fight."

"It wouldn't hurt to get back into the swing of things, though," she suggested, rather earnestly.

"Later…" I stared at the boiling desert outside the city. "That's not what we're here for, today." (Although it wouldn't surprise me if we encountered something, anyway…)

~ INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT ~

"Halt! Not another step!" A soldier stopped us as we approached the entrance to the Industrial District building. "Only authorized personnel and Teddim residents are allowed beyond this point."

"We wish to go back and retrieve something we lost," I half-lied.

"Oh?" The soldier moved to Nia and inspected her uncomfortably closely. "Say, I remember you. You're one of the emperor's elites!" We looked at each other and I saw her crack a smile. This title of "elite" appealed to her.

"That's right. I'm the one who saved the Special Inquisitor." I wasn't sure if she needed to bring it up.

"Oh, are ye, then?" He extended his arm in front of her. "Can ye take out a crick in my arm?"

"Depends on how bad it is or how long you've had it." She raised her hands and brought forth the healing blue light. I hoped that it worked, not for his sake, but for ours so that she wouldn't look like a charlatan and have us turned away.

"Incredible!" He moved his arm around like he'd just received it. "I can use this one again! Alright, you may pass." Not wishing to question it any further, we went through before he could change his mind.

~ PIPE JUNCTION CORRIDOR ~

"Nia, do you realize that you bribed a soldier to get our way past?" I spoke in a loud whisper.

"Cool it. It worked, didn't it?" She kept it low, too, as we walked past more soldiers on-guard. "Besides, _he_ brought it up, not me." (Hard to argue logic like that…)

~ CITY OF TEDDIM ~

We reached the recently-ruined City of Teddim at sunset. The presence of soldiers was much less out here. In the houses above, we saw some people going through their things. I _hoped_ they were residents, anyway. (I suppose there's no way to tell if they're residents or thieves.)

We found the platform where the ambush had taken place just over a week ago. Signs of the struggle were evident, particularly in the dings and dents on the railing. I stepped to where I'd been when the attacks began and turned around to Nia.

"Remi? Ya holdin' up?" I motioned for her to take a step back to where she'd been restrained when I witnessed Reeco advancing toward her with the intention to kill. As we stood in these exact positions, the sequence replayed in my head.

"Yeah… I need to not confuse the past with the present." I held up my new shield like I had with my old one and relived the moment Reeco and Walenn took the fight to me.

"Don't force it," she warned as she touched my arm. The warm contact brought me back to reality.

"This isn't the worst of it." We walked down the steps to the sandy shelf of the desert where I had nearly died before. I made it partially down before my legs got heavy and kept me from continuing. Although I knew what I was looking at, I wasn't yet prepared to return to the exact spot. (Stay calm… It's only sand down there…)

"You don't need to go all the way down there," she advised and put her arm around me. We took a seat on the stairs for a long time… longer than I expected.

"I have to." I finally stood up with feeling back in my legs. "Why come all this way, and then not…" I couldn't finish my train of thought. She stood up with me and helped me walk down to the sand. "Call me weird if you want, but I need to do this." I removed her scimitar from my holster and set it aside. Next, I lied down in the sand and covered my upper body with the shield.

"I'm still here, Rem. Still here," Nia comforted as she took a knee beside me. I closed my eyes and allowed the final event to replay in my mind. There was Reeco, equipped with Walenn's knuckle claws… and… nothing else was conjured. It was like my mind blocked out the rest. I opened my eyes and saw Nia instead. "How's it feel?"

"The sand's warm, almost comfortable…" I wanted to lie there longer, but I started to feel silly and pulled myself up. "That's good enough." I brushed the sand off and retrieved the scimitar. "Thank you for this."

"It's helpin' me out, too, y'know?" She placed her hand over her core as if to make sure that it was still in one piece. "For a moment, I thought he was going to pierce me… _right here_." I reached out to touch it. At first, she was reluctant to let me, but slowly she moved her hand away. For a Blade, it was like a heart, only exposed. I carefully traced my finger along its diamond shape. Her core was the very thing that brought us together, and this was my first time touching it since then.

"It's as pretty as you are," I complimented. "Do you feel anything when I touch it?"

"Just a little pressure, but not really." She brought her hand back up and held mine over her core. "I never really thought of it as a weak point, but I guess it is."

"You were born from a very strong core." I let go and observed how her core and ether marks on her body started to glow in the dark. (Dang… is it nighttime already?)

"Everybody out! Evening curfew for this area is now in effect!" We heard a soldier call to us and the people upstairs. More soldiers arrived to stand guard. "Evening curfew! Let's move it!" A flashlight spotted us at the foot of the stairs as we headed back up the platform.

"Sorry! We weren't aware." We scurried past, feeling a tad embarrassed to be caught in a moment. I tried to steal one last look back to the scene of the crime, but by now it was too dark to matter. It was time to move on, figuratively and literally.

~ INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT ~

We had a pleasant, leisurely stroll along the path from the Industrial District to the capital. My mind couldn't concentrate on anything else besides being with my partner, arm-in-arm. There was a crescent moon out tonight and the desert air had cooled down considerably. The spinning turbines and traveling gondolas made for interesting silhouettes against the night sky. It almost felt dreamy, aside from the fact that it was a dangerous desert with aspars and crustips in the distance.

~ JAKOLO'S INN ~

"We got lucky with the timing, there." I stripped down to my underclothes and sat on my bed to stretch. The soreness was completely gone by now. "Usually I spend too much time thinking…"

"Nobody could've blamed you for stalling," Nia said from her own bed in the room. "So, was it worth it?"

"Definitely. I don't know how much it helped, but I'm glad to be back here under better circumstances." I lied back and listened to the faint sound of the night crowd outside. We'd come in a little early for bedtime, but we were pretty tuckered out, nonetheless. "I hate to be pessimistic, but…"

"Then don't be!" She caught me dimming my eyes at her and smirked. "But you were saying?"

"Nia, I'm not sure if I'll ever get better… all the way, that is." Her lightheartedness wavered as I spoke. "Hey, I know you don't like it when I'm negative, but I can't lie to myself… nor to you. I'll never be the same. Who could possibly be the same after they've seen their life flash before their eyes?"

"I'm not judging you, Rem, but how come this near-death experience affected you while the first one did not?"

"First one?" I repeated in question. "When was that?"

"You know… when you resonated with my core and brought me to life." She sat up and crossed her legs. "Remember? The first thing I saw was you on the floor, not moving at all. I was afraid I'd only be around for a few seconds."

"Oh… _that_." I remembered our meeting in the ruined Kolier manor where her core crystal had been cleverly hidden among the decorations. "That's a good question. I suppose I had nothing that I considered to be valuable in my life back then. However, since…" I paused to choose my words delicately. "Since you've been a part of my life, I've had something to live for, and I didn't want it taken away."

"Are you tellin' me that you would've been cool if someone tried to kill you before you met me?!" Nia was leaning forward and clutching the edge of her bed at this point.

"Of course not! Don't be preposterous." I didn't expect her to take it this way. "If I'd died while trying to resonate with your core, then it would've been my own fault. Maybe _you're_ the reason why I wasn't affected, back then."

"_Me?_" She loosened up. "How so?"

"You ought to know. You were the first thing that _I_ saw when I opened my eyes in the manor," I explained. "Who has time to panic when they've got a comforting face looking down at them?"

"Thanks, Rem, but you're being overdramatic again." She gave me that deliberate, knowing smile. "Besides, wasn't I the first thing you saw after the ambush, too?"

"Yeah, you're right about that," I admitted. "I don't know why the two incidents affected me differently. At least you kept me from panicking both times."

"Remi…" she trailed off. I couldn't think of a better explanation, but I felt like I said enough on the topic, anyway. In our quiescence that followed, the faint sounds from outside took over again and I found myself being lulled by the muffled gusting of the wind.

"I think I might finally sleep well tonight. I can hope, at least." I slipped under the covers and turned out the light. "Goodnight, partner."

"G'night." She was asleep in no time, but I lied awake for a little while. Perhaps I was afraid to close my eyes for too long and see those harrowing images again.

As it turned out, it _was_ a relatively good night. I woke up next morning feeling decent for once. Nia was already up and sipping tea at the table.

"Did you sleep well?" She set her cup down and walked over to my bed.

"I think so." I lifted the blankets and patted next to me for her to hop in. "I still thought about the attack, though."

"I'm sorry, Rem…" Naturally, she tried to console me. "I don't know what else we can…"

"Oh, it wasn't so bad this time. Or, at least… I don't remember it being quite so bad. I definitely thought about it before I fell asleep. Maybe I never actually dreamt about it." The more I tried to remember if it was a dream or not, the less certain I was about it. Perhaps it was good that I couldn't remember.

"It's still a fresh memory," she commented. "You'll probably get over it in due time."

"I certainly hope so. I cannot let this define me." I nuzzled my face in her neck, with no objection from her. We had until noon to check out of our room, and so, we spent the next few hours snuggled as we were.

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT ~

It was another hot, busy day in Alba Cavanich. Tensions were mounting between the empire and its people following the recent events which left many without proper shelter. The soldiers patrolling the streets couldn't get far without somebody asking them what's taking the emperor so long to come up with a solution. I wondered if we could've paid him a visit since we'd built a rapport last time, but it was probably better that we didn't. The empire had issues to sort out yet, and every refugee had a life to rebuild. I felt bad leaving the country in its poor state, but my personal mission here was done. It was time to return home and rebuild my own life.

~ HAGAN ~

We didn't stop by camp on our way home. Some peaceful time in my village was all I desired. As with all trips to and from Mor Ardain, it took us all day to get back. The sky was dark, the moon was bright, and a dim light shone through the lightly-frosted windows of my house on the hill.

"Hey, it's us. We're home," I announced to Akebono who was once again standing by the door with his greataxe in hand.

"Welcome back," he greeted as he took my bag in for me, again like proper caretaker. "No trouble, here."

"Good, good." I checked to make sure our valuables were still here. "I suppose I shouldn't expect trespassers anymore. It's been a while since the championship, after all."

"If it's no offense to you, I would rather be assigned to the field anyway," he expressed politely.

"That's alright. You've been more helpful to me than I deserve. Without you, Nia wouldn't be here." By now, she had already found the couch and waved to us from her reclined position.

"At any rate, I am happy to have served you well. You two have a good night," he gave his farewell with a short bow.

"You too, and thanks again for everything." After he left for camp, I joined Nia in the living room and found my book that I bought from Argentum during the warehouse mission. With all that had happened since then, I never got a chance to read it.

"You're going back to your books?" She saw what I picked up. "That's a good sign."

"Right. It's about time I sunk myself into this." It was the tale of Noporikh, the great Nopon of many exploits. Of particular interest to me were his treasure-hunting enterprises. The one about the discovery of his signature bonny Blade reminded me strongly of my own adventure in finding Nia. (This hero isn't much different from me, although I doubt anyone would want to write my biography.)

I was halfway through the book when my eyes grew heavy and sleep beckoned. Before going to bed, however, I surveyed the living room and all that I had acquired. Modest furniture, a collection of detective novels, battle gear, the emperor's gifts, and of course, Nia… my Blade, my best friend, my partner for life. Indeed, this _was_ my life, and despite its challenges brought by becoming her driver, I wouldn't have traded it for anything else.

Over the next three weeks, I finally lived a simpler life like I wanted. Some days Nia and I led a team on a local mission, while other days we worked on the therapy center with Chief Reynold and the carpenter crews. It was still a while yet before its completion. In the meantime, a businessman from Sollerta sent me a request through the Solly Mercs to seek out lost treasure on the 'other side' of Prudentia.

~ SOLLERTA ~

"What does he want you to find?" Nia inquired as I exited the admin canopy after meeting with my client.

"He claimed that his grandpa buried a box containing some rare doubloons, probably stolen, and a core crystal." I opened a map and showed her where we were to search.

"You don't believe him, do you?" she impugned with a smirk.

"If it's not already in somebody's hands, then I don't care. This is my hobby and I get paid for it." I felt like myself for the first time since the nightmares. "If we find a core, make sure I don't accidentally touch it with my own hands."

"Good idea. I don't feel like sharing you." Her saucy remark amused me. I made sure nobody was looking and went in for a quick kiss.

"Alright then, let's grab a few provisions and be off." With the plans all set, Nia and I departed camp for the next of many more adventures. Whether they were battle missions or treasure-hunts, we were happy to work together and build toward a gratifying future on Alrest.

~ THE END… for now ~

Author's notes:

**And that's the end of this story. Even if you only read portions of it, I thank you very much! This was the first fan-story I'd ever written. I stuck with a loose plot in case I want to continue the day-by-day adventures of Remi and Nia. The rules of prudence, "seeing ahead by self-discipline," served as the theme throughout. Prudentia also fit with the naming conventions of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, like Temperantia. The same went for most characters, like Reeco McAvas coming from avarice which means greed.**

**Initially, I had conceptualized my own, original Blade character to be graced with a high status instead of Nia, hence the admittedly-complicated early chapters regarding her whereabouts. However, I figured the change would make the story more attractive. Besides, after playing Torna, I wondered what she might've been like in a previous life.**

**Fitting Nia into this preexisting role was tricky. I had to find ways to weave in elements of her canonical backstory, notably her Gormotti family, without stretching too far. Once I got to chapter 3, everything else was sort of created as I went. I had an outline, of course, but I ended up going 4 chapters beyond my planned amount.**

**Questions and comments are welcome! Once again, thank you for reading!**


	15. Setting the Stage

"**A Past Life with Nia" returns with bonus chapters! Continuing this story was only a matter of time since there were a few loose ends leftover from the main plot. In the past, I had everything written and completed before I started sharing the story. From this point onward, however, I will share each bonus chapter as I finish it.**

**To summarize this story which is set roughly 100 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Nia is the Blade of a young mercenary and treasure-hunter named Remi, my original character. Remi's gender and appearance aren't specified so that you can put yourself in this role. Hagan is their home village, Sollerta is the nearby town with their mercenary camp, Dosilla is an aristocratic city in ruin, and Prudentia is the Titan on which these locations exist. I've imagined its landscape to be like any old grassy countryside with quaint little villages here and there.**

**This story contains some lemon which I try to keep tactful and relevant. The OC's thoughts are written in (parentheses). This chapter takes place eight months after the previous chapter. Here we find Remi and Nia on a vacation in Leftheria. Thank you for reading!**

Chapter 15 "Setting the Stage"

~ FONSETT RESIDENTIAL AREA, of Fonsett Village in the Leftherian Archipelago ~ [Eight months later, now in the year 3964]

"Happy birthday Remi!" I had just opened the curtains when Nia wrapped her arms around me from behind in a warm, morning embrace. "Feel any different?"

"No, not really." I put my hands over hers and stared at our reflection in the window. "Nobody really _feels_ older. Aging is so gradual that it goes unnoticed. I suppose you Blades don't have to consider that."

"True. Physically I'll always be the same." She kissed my neck which sent a shiver down my spine. "When would be _my_ birthday, then? Would it be when the Architect conceived me? Would it be when I resonated from my core last?" I turned around and she looked at me like I had all the answers.

"That's a good question. Between us, it has to be when we bonded, right?" She seemed satisfied with that. "Regardless, in two months, it'll be one year since that fateful day when we met in Dosilla."

"A whole year, eh?" Nia folded her arms and stared at the floor for a moment. "That'll make me only a year old, then."

"I guess. It sounds weird when you put it that way, though. Either you'll be one year old between us or over four hundred years old from when your core crystal was originally created." Indeed, my partner standing in front of me very likely existed during the Aegis War, but I never saw her as an artifact nor a historical figure like the Aegis. To me, she was always my dearest Nia.

"So, what shall we do today? It is _your_ birthday, after all." We both looked outside to the village streets.

"Let's take a stroll through Fonsett." I put on a coat and fixed my hair in the mirror. "You know me. I don't need anything fancy. Just some quality time with you." Nia's smile was as bright as the sunlight beaming in behind her.

"Very well. Lead the way." She followed me out of the house which we were renting for our vacation in the Leftherian Archipelago. All of the houses in Fonsett looked rather unusual with their whimsical shapes and high rooftops. (Every village has its own style, I suppose.)

This vacation was well-deserved. Following my near-death experience in Mor Ardain, I was left with a fragile body and an even more fragile mind. Ironically, I had helped to rebuild a therapy center on our home Titan Prudentia for drivers and Blades, so it only seemed natural to volunteer myself as its first new patient when it opened a month after the incident. Since I curated the revival project in the first place, admittance was free to me, anyway.

Nia and I learned a lot from the recovery program, from basic partnership counseling to deeper practices to counter my anxiety and paranoia. While our teamwork on the battlefield was as good as it was going to get, our relationship had some room for improvement, particularly in how we had radically different goals in life. She always looked for new things to try and new ways to improve herself while I was content to live my life in a safe routine. The program ran for half a year and conveniently ended a few days before my birthday. This vacation to the Leftherian Archipelago seemed like a nice way to cap it off.

"This place is _so_ peaceful," Nia put it simply. The birds were in full song with the return of the spring season.

"Hagan is peaceful, too, but in a different way." I took a moment to appreciate the scenery. "I'll admit, though, our home village feels a little plain compared to Fonsett with all of these trees." (Honestly, all of Prudentia feels plain with no forests to speak of.)

"It's not just the trees, Rem." She pointed to the beaches just past the village. "We're on an island, here. Everything feels so fresh."

"Yeah… hard to beat having beach access in all directions," I admitted. "After lunch, we should go and check them out."

"Whoa… hang on, Rem. What's _that_, way out there?" Nia pointed beyond the beaches to a mysterious creature swimming on the Cloud Sea. It looked like a small Titan, the kind that are normally used to carry ships. This one, however, had nothing on its back.

"Aye! You must be talking about Azurda," a villager informed us. We turned to meet this person as she opened up her market stall. "Not to worry, kids. He's sworn to protect us."

"Really? You have your own village guardian?" I asked incredulously and jealously. "I'd sleep so much better at night if we had one of our own."

"You could say that," the villager agreed, "although around these parts, when people say 'village guardian,' they refer to the giant statue just south of here. They say it houses the spirit of the Hero Addam which watches over us."

"I see. You folks are well-covered, then." I continued to observe the Titan before it disappeared in the misty background.

"Right. Now would you two be interested in any of my wares?" The villager had finished preparing her stand and wasted no time.

"Hmm…" Not wanting to be impolite, I took a quick gander, expecting to find nothing of interest. "Got anything inherently Leftherian?"

"I have a fine selection of pottery, and they're made right here in Fonsett." She directed me to the back of her market stand.

"You go on ahead," I shouted to Nia. "This won't take long."

~ FONSETT ISLAND, later that afternoon at the nearby beach ~

Nia and I enjoyed the most carefree of days. It wasn't long before we started to feel like locals of Fonsett rather than the tired tourists that we were. We spent the afternoon at the beach south of the village where the cloud sea laid its fluffy fringes on the pristine white sands.

"My gosh, Nia. If only every day could be like this." I stretched out on the banks of sand and looked over to Nia who sat with her boots off, knees up, and arms around her legs. She was close enough to the shore that the cloud tide occasionally rose high enough to reach her. "I suppose this is the life that we can look forward to when I retire."

"Yeah…" She seemed lost in thought. "It's hard to believe that life can be so different depending on the Titan you're on. These people have it so easy, especially when I think of places like… Mor Ardain. Can the Ardainians really be okay with staying rooted to a daunting desert?"

"Most of them probably have family there that keeps them from leaving," I surmised. "I don't have any family left, so we're not rooted to anywhere. We can go wherever we want."

"Have you _really_ got no one else left?" Nia looked at me sympathetically.

"Sad but true." It wasn't something I liked to think about. "I've got you, though, and I'm grateful for it. You may not be family, but you may as well be with how… uh… how close we are."

"Oh?" Nia turned toward me and sat on her heels.

"If I married you, then you'd legally be family." I wasn't sure why I said it when I hadn't even considered it before.

"So then why don't you?" Nia's sudden query caught me dry in the mouth.

"Uh… why don't I do what?" I wasn't prepared to answer.

"You know. _You just said it!_ Don't be daft." Her eyes were laser-focused on me and I was sure that she saw the discomfort on my face. She might've even enjoyed seeing me squirm.

"Nia, I would love to marry you, but we can't." I expected her to be disappointed, but her expression didn't change much.

"I 'ad a feelin' you'd say that, Rem," she sighed.

"Hey now, I'm not copping out. In Prudentia, legal matrimony doesn't include drivers and Blades." It was a fact, but at that moment, it felt more like an excuse.

"So then let's move to where it's legal! You said we can go wherever we want!" Nia grinned knowing she'd cornered me with logic. (Sometimes I wish I didn't talk so much.)

"I really don't want to leave Prudentia. Not yet, anyway. It may bore you from time to time, but it's my kind of lifestyle," I explained. "Besides, what would the Echells think? We agreed that your core would return to them when I pass away."

"That's only if you end up not havin' a family of your own." She reminded me of the condition of the agreement we made with the Echell family. "Whatever we do, they'll just have to deal with it. I don't care what they think. I only care what _you_ think."

"Fair enough, but do you actually want to get married, Nia?" I patted the spot next to me and she crawled over to join me on the sand bank. "Frankly, I wasn't sure you knew what marriage was, being a Blade and all."

"Mmm… well…" Now it was her turn to shy around the subject. "I'll admit I haven't really thought about it until now, either."

"I'm not ready for something like that anytime soon. I would really need life to settle down before I would consider it." I leaned my head against her neck as we held hands like hopeless romantics. "Although… I mentioned earlier that in two months we will have been together for a full year. So, in a way, that can be our first anniversary."

"Our first anniversary as driver and Blade, eh?" she cooed. "I like the sound of that."

We stayed at the beach until sunset which was an absolutely gorgeous sight. Spending time with Nia in such a place felt like a dream. I certainly didn't want it to end, but even a vacation destination like this wasn't completely safe in the dark. Before we headed back to the village, I took out a tiny glass jar which I'd bought from the villager and scooped up some of the Leftherian sand.

"What'd you do that for?" Nia asked.

"I want to collect a sample for some research later." She started laughing at my lame explanation immediately.

"You're such a nerd," she teased.

"You're such a labeler," I teased back, ironically. I had an ulterior plan for the sand, but I wasn't ready to tell her about it yet. As with all good things, our vacation eventually ended, and we returned home to Prudentia a few days later.

~ HAGAN, our home village on our home Titan Prudentia ~

Life at home resumed without a hitch. We spent most days going on missions with the Solly Mercs before enjoying cozy, quiet evenings in my little house on the hill. This was the satisfying life that I had always wanted. Each day I thought about our impending driver-Blade anniversary until it was only a week away…

~ SOLLERTA, neighboring town and home of the Solly Mercs ~ [Almost two months later]

"Nice work today, Remi!" Chief Reynold complimented as we put away equipment after another mission was completed. "I reckon we all deserve a good chow after that one."

"Yeah, although it's kind of late. All the good stuff may be gone by now. Nia's already in the mess hall." I found a chair by the admin desk and plopped myself down. "I told her to wait for me."

"Oh?" The chief took his seat behind the desk.

"Chief, I don't know if you know this, but she and I will soon be celebrating our first anniversary as driver and Blade. It's in a week, to be exact."

"Oho! Has it really been a year?" He sat back and put up his feet.

"Yeah, it's crazy how quickly time passes when so many things happen." I didn't care to think how dull my life could've been had I not bonded with Nia. No doubt I would've lived a much safer life without her, but I wasn't about to blame her for the way things turned out, even at the direst of times. "I was curious, and pardon me for asking, but did you and your first Blade ever celebrate your first year together?"

"I'm sure we drank quite a bit. Not really sure anymore. It's been so long, it has." He stretched out his arms and groaned at the strain from exhaustion. "I drank every night back then, so it was probably unlike any other night for Fubuki." He referred to his first Blade, a common female Blade with knuckle claws and the wind element. "I made sure she felt appreciated after I got me head on straight though. You an' Nia gonna do something fun?"

"Maybe. I've been working on a gift for her, but don't tell." The chief gave me the thumbs-up from across the room. "I also want to bring her back to Dosilla, back to the old Kolier Manor where we first met. What do you think? Good idea or bad idea?"

"Not bad, not bad, although you may be running out of time." The chief dropped his feet back down and reached for a map of Prudentia. "You've heard that Queen Sophia has new plans for the 'other side' of the Titan, have you?"

"I'd heard rumors, but I haven't kept up with the news. Something going on with Dosilla?" I got back on my tired feet and joined him at the desk.

"She wants to revitalize the 'other side,' starting with Dosilla." Chief Reynold took out a pen and circled Dosilla City on the map, along with a few other old settlements. "She's funded a massive clean-up effort of these places in hopes of making them attractive to folks looking to move in."

"Really? Dosilla too? It was a right mess last I saw it." I was being too kind with my crude assessment of the old city, for nobody could live there safely in its current state. A lot of stone walls looked as if they were ready to fall with any tremor.

"She wants to make it a tourist destination, like a museum, but outdoors," the chief explained. "And to commemorate its grand reopening, she wants to have a new Blade Pageant… like from the Dosilla of old. Not many folks know that there used to be such an event. I reckon the queen will have to advertise heavily for it."

"I knew about those old pageants!" I exclaimed, like a teacher's pet. "In fact, Nia was supposedly one of its winningest Blades."

"It wouldn't surprise me one bit. She's still the prettiest Blade we've ever had in the Solly Mercs," Chief Reynold complimented with a wink. "I'm sure she'll win again if there is, in fact, another pageant."

"I was inside the old Dosilla Country Club where they held those pageants," I said of my fateful trip last year. "I tried to imagine what an event like that might've looked like, back in the day."

"Hopefully it ain't too decrepit to be repaired for modern use, otherwise the queen's clean out o' luck," the chief commented candidly. "I hear the clean-up crews will reinforce as many buildings as they can and tear down the ones that can't be saved." (I wonder if they'll tear down the Kolier Manor? It certainly didn't crumble over me when I was in it.)

"I see what you mean about running out of time. Any idea when this project will begin? It's important to me that Nia and I pay the city a visit on our special day." The chief shrugged his shoulders.

"I was a trifle put off that her majesty did not ask us for help, especially after our ace renovation project." The chief referred to the therapy center that we fixed up, and it was gratifying to see it listed on an officially-sanctioned map. "I like to think that you had a lot to do with influencing the queen's plan, but she hasn't acknowledged anybody or anything."

"It's fine. I don't desire any extra attention. Besides, Mor Ardain already loves me." Chief Reynold laughed at my modesty.

"Regardless, it looks like she's _finally_ going to do something with all of those old settlements. I'm sure you'll be able to see that old manor again before something happens to it. You know how the higher-ups spend more time talking and less time doing." He rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"Thanks, chief. I'm looking forward to the big day." I gave him a wave and turned to leave. "I'd better get back to Nia before she wonders what's keeping me."

I found her in the mess hall with a couple of trays of potato and cheese salad for us. "Well _you_ sure took your sweet time."

"Sorry about that." I took a seat next to her. "Thanks for saving me dinner."

"Sure, sure." She handed me a fork and we dug in. "So, what were you doin' in there?"

"Uh… just talking with the chief…" I answered between mouthfuls, "mostly about a massive revival plan that the queen has for the 'other side' of Prudentia."

"What, again?" she snapped. "Why doesn't she just give up?"

"The chief says it's for real this time. Her majesty already has crews to clean up and rebuild lost towns." I looked over at Nia who smirked at the idea.

"Hope they have fun out there," she quipped. "Better them than us."

"I thought you enjoyed making a difference. If all goes according to plan, then there will be a lot of new space for people to live." I knew that there were plenty of Ardainians who were displaced last year. We got a good look at some of them during our last visit to Mor Ardain. "Besides, there may be a new Blade Pageant at the end of the project."

"Really now?" Her ears perked up instantly. "Just like the ones I won in past lives?"

"Oh, now suddenly it's a good idea, is it?" I poked her and she punched me lightly in return. "They have to fix up Dosilla first. Can't have a good show without setting the stage, you know."

"Sounds easier said than done." She finished her salad and stuck her fork in mine for an extra bite. "I bet it will look completely different when it's done."

"I'm sure they'll want to preserve its ancient, aristocratic image, but you're right, it won't be the same." I took one more bite before I gave the rest to her. "Speaking of which, I was thinking that we'd visit Dosilla again… for our, uh, first anniversary as driver and Blade. We've only got a week to go."

"Now that sounds like an idea that you'd come up with." She pushed her tray aside and scooted closer to me.

"Hey, it's the simple things that please me," I pouted playfully.

"C'mon Rem, I'm only teasing," she reassured with a warm hand on my shoulder. "I like it. I say let's do it!"

"Great! It's a date!" I proclaimed ecstatically. "And specifically, I want to take you back to the Kolier Manor, where we first met. I know there won't be much left to see there, but I'm feeling sentimental about it. I just hope that it'll still be there in a week."

"You're really lookin' forward to this, aren't you?" Nia rested her head on her arm and smiled lazily at me. "Don't worry. I'm sure it'll be a day we'll never forget."

"I want it to be a special day for us." I looked around to make sure that we were the only ones left in the mess hall before I moved forward for a kiss. "I won't let anything get in the way. In fact, as a precaution, we won't partake in any merc missions this week that require us to travel to other Titans. We will have our date in Dosilla and then… _celebrate_ even more when we get back home." She licked her lips deliciously when I said that.

Having made my bold statement, we returned the trays and headed outside to find an armu-taxi back home. I was serious about wanting our first anniversary as driver and Blade to be a special day; and I was serious about not letting anything get in the way. But of course, fate had other plans in store for us.

The following day began like any other day…


	16. Risk Versus Reward

Chapter 16 "Risk Versus Reward"

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Ah, there you are!" Chief Reynold spotted us as soon as we arrived at the Solly Mercs camp the next morning. "You've got another treasure client here to see you."

"Is that so?" It'd been so long since a client called on me for a treasure-hunt that I scarcely believed it.

"Yeah, a young chap from Mor Ardain, he is. Got here an hour ago." The chief pointed to the admin canopy. "T'is a good thing you showed up today, innit?"

"I'll say. I live for a good treasure-hunt. Thanks." The chief nodded and returned to the other mercs. "Right then, Nia. Let's go see who it is." When we entered the canopy, we found my new client browsing through the newsletters.

"Mornin'!" he greeted, "I'm lookin' for Remi, the treasure-hunter."

"That's me," I confirmed with a handshake, "and this is my Blade, Nia." She greeted him with a curtsy like she'd done for all of my clients before. "And you are…?"

"Call me Calvin. Nice to meet you." He removed his cap and bowed his head, a gentlemanly gesture which contradicted his scruffy appearance. "I hear you can find any treasure out there!"

"As long as it's on land, yes." I chuckled awkwardly. "I'm no salvager."

"It's fine." He looked Nia up and down before clearing his throat and putting his cap back on.

"What can we do for you, today?" I tried to sound as professional as possible.

"It's a long story, mind you." We each took a seat around the table. "I lost my home on Mor Ardain. We've got a mighty bit of a civil war goin' on."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I had a feeling that he was referring to the City of Teddim. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about the Brionac, would you?"

"Oi! You know about them?!" Calvin's eyes lit up.

"Know about them? We _belted_ them proper!" Nia cut in, proudly.

"We were part of a team called the 'Emperor's Elites,' at least that's what some soldiers called us," I added. "We aided your army in taking down the insurgents in Teddim."

"I heard _somebody_ kicked their bahooky for us, but sheesh! You have my eternal thanks!" He reached over to shake my hand again, this time energetically. "Anyway, sorry for my yelling. I need to be serious. You see, my old pal Glenn was killed. I think he got caught in the crossfire or somethin'…"

"Again, I'm sorry to hear that." I hadn't expected this meeting to have quite the range of emotions. "Although, I don't recall seeing any civilians getting hurt while we were there."

"Must've happened earlier, then." He momentarily removed his cap again to wipe his brow. "I brought him up because, well, he had a Blade… a real bonny Blade, I tell ya. I was hopin' to bring her core crystal back to his family, but I couldn't find it. I wasn't able to start looking 'til I got a new apartment, so it's probably buried by now. Can ya come back to Mor Ardain with me an' help me find it? I'll even pay for yer housing at the inn!"

"Of course we'll help you." Although I wasn't particularly interested in visiting Mor Ardain again, I wasn't about to turn down a private client either. I figured a few days of digging in the sand was harmless enough, despite how yesterday I'd decided that Nia and I would do nothing to risk getting home late for our first driver-and-Blade anniversary. I turned to her and she nodded in agreement. "Just out of curiosity, what's this Blade's name?"

"He called her Waley, although I think her real name was Walenn, or something like that…" Calvin saw the horror on my face. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Oh, no, you're fine… It's just that… uh…" I stammered for the right words. "I'm sorry to say this, Calvin, but we don't think your friend was caught in any crossfire. We think he was murdered…" I waited for him to make another exclamation, but he looked at me to continue. "We were ambushed in Teddim by an assassin named Reeco McAvas who had several Blades we believe were stolen from his victims. One of these Blades was Walenn." (I should probably leave out the part about Reeco and Walenn nearly shredding me to death.)

"Are you flippin' s-serious?" He was now clearly disturbed. "She was with that… that _madman_?!"

"Yeah… and you know who he was?" I feared that I said too much.

"Who doesn't? If you're a traitor to the empire, then you're on everybody's list. If he were still here, I'd…" He clenched his fists and looked away. "Ahem… sorry. I heard he tried to lay his hands on Brighid. Any man with a right mind knows not to touch the crown jewel of the empire."

"Speaking of Brighid, though, she's the one who took the core crystals after Reeco was defeated." I tried to get us back on topic. "Walenn's core was in that collection."

"So, then it's at the palace?" Calvin thought for a moment. "It won't do me any good to go knockin' on their door. I'm just a commoner."

"Perhaps they'll let Nia and I have a word with them since we're honorary dignitaries," I offered. "There's no guarantee, but it won't hurt to try."

"I'm fine with this plan. I'd hate to sit around and do nothing." With the day still young, we worked out a few more details before we headed to the port for a ship to Mor Ardain. Not knowing Brighid's schedule, I allotted a maximum of four days for this trip that Calvin was willing to fund.

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT, heart of the Ardainian capital ~

Several hours later, we arrived in Mor Ardain to find it exactly how I remembered it… dusty and brittle. We followed Calvin to the capital where he paid for a room at the inn for Nia and me. With that set, we walked through the shopping district towards the palace at the other end.

~ NHARIL CENTRAL PLAZA ~

"You wait here while we go in," I instructed my client before we approached the soldiers guarding the entrance.

"Halt!" The soldier called to us before I could state my business. "Have you an appointment with the Emperor?"

"We're here to make one with Brighid, actually." Ardainian soldiers no longer intimidated me, even as this one inspected us closely. "We are Remi and Nia, previously of the 'Emperor's Elites,' honorary dignitaries of the empire…"

"And saviors of the Special Inquisitor!" Nia added. (I'll be darned if we're barred from entering.)

"Hah! I bet you are. And I'm the King of Torna!" His sarcasm was utterly tasteless.

"Look, if you don't believe us, ask around the palace!" Nia huffed. "Surely someone remembers us."

"You'd better not be wastin' my time!" The soldier inspected us once more before retreating to the palace. The other soldier on-guard took his place. I glanced back at Calvin who remained seated patiently. This situation made me feel more like an agent and less like a treasure-hunter. Five minutes later, the first soldier returned. "The captain says to go through to the booth on the left."

"What? No apology?" Nia glared at him.

"Let it go. They're letting us in," I placated as I tugged her arm. We crossed the long, wide bridge to another soldier minding the booth.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

"Driver Remi and Blade Nia, welcome back to Hardhaigh Palace." We were relieved to find somebody who remembered us. "You have a request?"

"We seek an audience with Brighid." I looked toward the palace in hopes of catching a glimpse of her.

"I see. Well I'm sorry to inform you that Lady Brighid isn't due back for another four hours." It wasn't the worst news, but it was unsurprising all the same.

"When she returns, may we see her then?" I asked, still hopeful.

"I shall inform her of your presence, but I can't say if she'll be interested in seeing anybody today. You may come back in four hours and find out then." Nia and I looked at each other. It was far better than a straight-up "no."

"Thank you, sir. We will return later." We left the palace grounds and returned to our client in the plaza.

~ NHARIL CENTRAL PLAZA ~

"We've done what we can for now," I told Calvin. "They'll let us try again in the evening."

"Even if they tell you to bug off, I appreciate that you tried." He got up and brushed off his backside. "Guess I'll head home for now. Let me know if there's any new development." He gave us his address and bid us farewell.

~ ADMAR STORAGE ZONE, later that day ~

"I'll say one thing about merc life, Nia… sometimes you don't quite know where you'll end up or what you'll be doing when the sun starts to set." The city was bathed in the orange glow from the sunset. We'd already spent a few hours walking around the shops and now found ourselves hanging around the quieter areas.

"It's fun, though." Nia led me to a bridge overlooking the people going about their business. "I enjoy visiting different Titans, seeing how other people live…"

"It's fun when you've got a partner to travel with." I gave her a nudge. "I can only imagine you being bored with your previous drivers in Dosilla." She looked at me before gazing into the distance.

"I don't know, Rem. Maybe I liked being a proper lady back then. Maybe I was a social princess of that old city." We rubbed shoulders as we leaned on the railing. "I am what I am now, but it doesn't necessarily mean that I was like this in a past life. Each time a Blade is reborn, they may take on a characteristic of the new driver."

"So, you are the way you are because of me?" I had never really given it a thought.

"Yeah, probably. _Nice going_, you!" she chided and poked me with her elbow. We shared a laugh which caught the attention of a few people walking on the streets below, but we didn't care. I always enjoyed seeing her in a happy, playful mood, even if I was the subject of her teasing. A moment later, she caught me staring at her. "What?"

"Don't mind me," I sighed contentedly. "Just admiring."

"It's not polite to stare, Rem," she chaffed with a mischievous look on her face.

"Don't you think I've earned the right?" I cracked a devilish grin myself. "I'm more than just your driver, after all." I leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "Have you ever wondered what your drivers from past lives were like?"

"Sometimes…" she drifted off. "I don't know, really. What do _you_ think they were like?"

"Well, since you were passed down through generations of Echells and Koliers, I imagine they were rich, successful, probably snobby…"

"And cold," she interjected, "cold as the gold in their pockets. They probably thought of me as their prize and nothing else."

"Aw, I'm sure at least _one_ driver from your past cared about you as much as I do. I know I called you a 'treasure' before, and I'm sorry that I did, but I really do care. There is nobody else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with." I expected her to say something cynical, but she just looked at me solemnly. A little heat grew between us, as was always the case of awkward silence.

"Rem…" She reached over for my hand. "Remember when you asked if I wanted to get married?" I nodded nervously. "Whenever you're ready, just say the word."

"Oh… good to know." I kept my eyes locked on hers. "When I'm ready… yeah, I still think that's far off."

"Not a problem." She remained cool and calm.

"Anyway, it's been nearly four hours," I estimated as I looked at my watch. The heat from the conversation subsided. "What say we head back to the palace?"

"Sure. I'm tired of waitin'." I led her down the stairs and off to the palace we went.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

To her chagrin, we were ordered to wait a while longer when we returned to the booth. Fortunately, Brighid had agreed to meet with us, so I didn't mind. Another half-hour passed before she finally arrived, and she wasn't alone.

"Good evening! A pleasure to see you two, again!" It was Special Inquisitor Càidh, head of the army and Brighid's driver. He looked much better than the last time we met which was an ill-fated day for everyone. "You saved my life," he said to Nia directly. "It burdens me to say that, as a high-ranking official with constant duties, I'll never be able to repay you."

"Don't worry about it," Nia assured him and bowed her head. "I'm just glad to see that you're still alive."

"Trust me, the whole empire is glad of that," Brighid finally spoke. "Now then, I hear you wish to speak with me?"

"Yes, and I'll get straight to the point," I began as I cleared my throat. "It's come to my attention that one of the Blades who attacked us last year was stolen from a friend of ours… whom we hadn't seen in years." I skewed the truth slightly since nobody needed to know that we were here on business. "After the ambush, you claimed the cores for the empire. Is it possible to retrieve this core we seek?"

"You're in luck." Brighid lowered her head and chuckled. "All of the core crystals dropped by the traitor are still in our possession. They should've been sent to Indol by now."

"Indol? You mean the Titan Indol?" I'd only known of this Titan because of the rule that all drivers must register with Indol.

"Indeed, it's not common knowledge, but most nations send core crystals to the Indoline Praetorium when there's an excess amount," Special Inquisitor Càidh cut in. "The Praetor cleanses the cores before they're redistributed around Alrest. But as Brighid alluded to, our shipments have backed up because we've needed all hands on deck to push back the Brionac."

"Things have settled down," Brighid resumed. "Like I said, you're in luck. We were planning to continue shipping out to Indol in a couple of days. We'll permit you access to our cargo before their departure."

"It won't be so easy, though," Special Inquisitor Càidh warned. "We've been delayed for so long that we've got four whole ships' worth of core crystals to be sent out."

"No problem. Nia will be glad to help me search, right Nia?" I looked over to her and she took two wide steps away from me.

"Are we really backlogged to four ships now, Càidh?" Brighid checked with her driver. "That makes me uneasy about the trips ahead."

"Indeed, and I agree," he closed his eyes and stroked his chin. "Having so many core crystals in bulk will make us an even bigger target than before."

"A target?" I had to ask. "You've got thieves?"

"We're not sure. On a normal schedule, we're able to send out four ships a year to Indol." The Special Inquisitor glanced at the royal docks for a moment. "I guess that means we're a whole year behind schedule, but nevermind that. The problem is that sometimes our cargo ships don't come back, including the crew." This situation started to feel like stories from the detective novels that I liked to read at home. (Whole ships gone missing? Egad…)

"Either we've got pirates or there's a giant monster roaming the Cloud Sea taking down our ships," Brighid wondered aloud. A mystery was afoot.

"Maybe in the future you should get a special team aboard the ships to make sure they sail safely." Everybody looked at me when I said that.

"You know… that's not such a bad idea," Special Inquisitor Càidh thought it over, still stroking his chin. "We should've thought of it sooner. We've always sent out two men to pilot the ship and take inventory. Now, if we were to add drivers and Blades to the crew, then we'd have a good chance at fighting back whatever's been bothering our ships. Excuse us a moment." Both he and Brighid returned to the palace, leaving Nia and I to wonder if they were going to talk to the emperor about the idea. I didn't like where this was going, and I wished that I hadn't opened my big mouth. We waited for twenty minutes, and I couldn't stay still for any minute of it. I felt anxious when I saw them exit the building and walk toward us. (They're going to ask us to join the crew. I just know it…)

"Rem… what's the matter with you?" Nia snapped at me in a loud whisper. "You look like you're about to wet yourself."

"I know what's going to happen next," I whispered back. "They're going to ask…"

"Driver Remi and Blade Nia…" the Special Inquisitor addressed us sternly. "We've talked it over. Not only do we think your idea is a good one, but we also think that you two would be the ideal candidates to lead it."

"Us? Really?" I looked to Nia to help me find a way out of it, but she seemed all for the proposal. "Surely you have more capable drivers and Blades on hand. What about Pierce and Arrow and the other elites?"

"We'll reach out to them, although Pierce and Arrow are already on another mission for us," Brighid avouched for the local heroic duo.

"Nia, your healing power is invaluable. As I said before, you saved my life." Special Inquisitor Càidh bowed to her. "To say I'm indebted to you would be an understatement. I would see to it personally that you and Remi are paid very handsomely."

"And how much would that be?" I opened my big, curious mouth again. When he told me the proposed amount per trip, my jaw dropped.

"Remi, that's even more than what we got for the last time we helped them out! Just think! We'll get to see a new Titan while we're at it." Nia was definitely interested, perhaps more for the traveling aspect of it than anything else. (This feels like when Emperor Nigel invited us to join the army for more missions. In fact, that's exactly what's happening here.)

"Ahem… I can't deny that your offer is beyond generous, but…" I paused to think of an excuse.

"Rem…" Nia wrapped her arms around mine. "Are you worried that we won't be home in time?"

"No, I'm worried that we'll be putting ourselves in danger again." I was sure that everybody here understood my concern. After all, we all nearly met our demise during our last mission together. "But thanks for reminding me." I looked back to Brighid and the Special Inquisitor. "How long will this mission take, and when will it start? Nia and I have to be home in six days."

"If you agree to help us, then we can start as soon as tomorrow." Special Inquisitor Càidh retrieved a clipboard from the soldier minding the booth. "We've got four ships to send to Indol, and each roundtrip should take a day. If all goes well, we can get back on schedule in four days."

"Càidh, are you sure it's wise to send all four ships in succession?" Brighid questioned. "As we agreed before, that would make us an even bigger target for whatever's out there."

"True, but having so many core crystals stocked at our dock isn't safe for the palace either." He turned his attention back to me. "Remi, knowing what we know, will you accept?" I really hated these big decisions that needed to be made quickly. It was a matter of risk versus reward.

"Hey, hon'…" Nia spoke to me softly. She'd never called me 'honey' nor any other term of endearment before. "I promise you won't die. _I promise_." As if to make her point, her hands glowed with the bright blue light of her power while she continued to hold onto me. If I couldn't trust her, then I couldn't trust anybody.

"It's against my better judgment," I started to say as I looked to her again, "but I trust that my life will always be in good hands as long as we're together. So yes, we accept, but only for the first three trips since our friend already paid for our stay at the inn."

"The empire thanks you once again, driver Remi and Blade Nia," Special Inquisitor Càidh acknowledged with another bow before turning to Brighid. "I'm sure we'll have a good lot of capable drivers ready by the fourth trip. We'll put out the word immediately."

"I suppose we'll have to go home first to let my chief know. All of my activities must go through the Solly Mercs." I sighed audibly. "We've got a _lot_ of traveling to do tomorrow."

"There's no need. We'll be more than happy to set it up with your chief for you," the Special Inquisitor offered as he handed me a paper to sign. "If you'll just sign here to give us your consent, we'll have this agreement sent tonight so you can begin first thing tomorrow."

"Hard to argue with that." I signed the paper and handed it back.

"Right then. Now let's not forget what you came here for originally… the core crystal. You've got a lot to search through, so we should go to our cargo right away." The Special Inquisitor led us to the royal docks and called to the soldiers minding the cargo ships. They let me browse through all of the core crystals, every one of which was sealed in a container. It was easy to pick out the rare cores from the common ones, and eventually I settled on the one that I believed belonged to Walenn.

With the treasure-hunt completed, we thanked our hosts and exited the palace.

~ ADMAR STORAGE ZONE ~

"Fantastic! This is Walenn's core indeed!" Calvin was ecstatic when we brought it to his cramped apartment. "I knew it was a good idea to seek your help." He covered it with a cloth and placed it in a basket. "Tomorrow I will bring it to Glenn's family. Maybe you two should come with me. They ought to know who did all the work to bring Waley back!"

"That's awfully nice of you, but we can't." I slumped my shoulders as Nia put her arm around me. "It seems we got tabbed for another big mission for the empire."

"Oh? Giving the Brionac another wallop are ya?" He rubbed his hands together.

"We're going to ferry some cargo ships to Indol," I corrected him. "I really don't want to go, but…"

"It'll be fun!" Nia encouraged. "We'll visit a Titan that we haven't seen before!"

"That does sound fun. I hear Indol's full of interesting relics and murals. Want to borrow my camera?" he asked as he reached for it.

"No, that's okay. I'm just glad that you'll be able to make some folks happy tomorrow. I can appreciate returning a Blade to a family that loves her." I looked at Nia who rolled her eyes at me. "Anyway, we've got a busy day tomorrow, so we should get going."

"Well hey, thanks for everything." Calvin shook our hands gratefully. "Safe travels, now!"

I hoped for safe travels indeed. On the way back to the inn, I kept telling myself that everything would be fine. Besides, as Nia pointed out, we were about to visit a new Titan, and an eminent one at that. It was bound to be an interesting day, one way or another.


	17. Captain of the Ship

Chapter 17 "Captain of the Ship"

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

The next morning, we made our way to the palace before the crowds filled the city. Even though it was spring, the morning air was already warm. (Do these Ardainians ever have a cold day?)

"Driver Remi and Blade Nia, welcome back to the palace," Special Inquisitor Càidh greeted us without Brighid. "I was informed that everything went smoothly in setting up this joint-mission with your chief, so you are all set to lead the expedition."

"Are you sure that it's a good idea for us to lead? I'm no army commander." I glanced past him to some soldiers and common Blades gathered at the royal dock. "Besides, won't your men object to taking orders from foreigners?"

"You are honorary dignitaries. They are aware of your status and that you saved Brighid from falling into the wrong hands. If they do not show you respect, then they will be reprimanded," he assured. Nia crossed her arms and giggled to herself. "At any rate, I have to leave soon, so let's set you up with the cargo team."

By the time we reached the dock, those soldiers had formed a line with their common Blades and saluted. Standing nearby were a couple of local drivers with their rare Blades. "Sir! The first ship has been thoroughly inspected and prepared for travel to Indol," one soldier reported. The ships were cargo compartments built on the backs of small Titans.

"Thank you." Special Inquisitor Càidh took out a clipboard as Nia and I joined the group. "Right, now let's take attendance." First, he approached the soldiers and read their names. Next, he approached the other drivers and Blades. "Driver Brusa with Blade Goliad, check. Driver Kirk with Blade Galloway, check. Guest driver Remi with Blade Nia, check." (Brusa and Goliad are here? I guess it shouldn't surprise me since they helped the empire before.)

"Is this everybody?" the other driver asked the Special Inquisitor. "I expected more to show up."

"Yes. This is the first day and we put the word out on short notice." He skimmed through the roster sheet again before he signed it. "We anticipate more to show up for the following trips. For now, you will make do with the current lineup. Your sole task is to protect the ship, its cargo, the pilot, and the inventory specialist from harm. In the event that you are under siege, you will follow Remi and Nia's orders." Nia and I looked at each other. (Right… no pressure. No pressure at all…)

None of my teammates said a word to us, but they didn't shy away from staring. With the instructions given, the Special Inquisitor wished us good luck and returned to the palace. "Well, come on, then. We're all set, so let's go!" I led us into the ship and soon we were on our way to Indol.

~ CLOUD SEA ~

"How's everyone holding up?" I asked around. We'd been traveling for roughly an hour so far. It was slightly awkward to share the same space with very little to do. Two soldiers and their Blades were up on the roof of the ship on patrol duties.

"We're all good," one soldier reported back. I nodded to him and continued pacing back and forth with my hands behind my back. I soon realized that I was walking like the Special Inquisitor.

"You don't need to act so high and mighty, hot stuff," someone retorted from behind. I turned and saw Brusa sitting in a corner, giving me the same glare that she'd always given me. The pink-haired Ardainian looked as gritty as ever in her short, frayed rodeo dress. Keeping my hands behind my back, I slowly walked over to her and Goliad, her faithful Blade in a big black hat and sweeping black overcoat. Neither of them made any movement as I approached them.

"I'm sorry that I've given an impression of that nature," I started to say, but she was having none of it. "Look, as long as I'm in charge, I have to make sure that everyone is okay. Or would you rather I don't care about what might happen to you?" She chuckled to herself and shook her head.

"I can take anything," she claimed confidently and smacked her fists together. "I don't need you to care." I looked to Goliad who may have been asleep this whole time. I couldn't tell with his hat cocked forward to cover his eyes. (Not the most pleasant people, these two. They can handle themselves.)

"Hey boss!" I turned back around and saw Kirk, the other Ardainian driver walking towards me.

"Please, call me Remi. I'm not really your boss, you know that." Perhaps I'd been acting too stiff and proper on this trip so far, but I wasn't about to let my nerves get to me.

"Right, Remi…" He glanced at Nia while she was facing away from us. "Where'd you find her?" I blinked at him for a moment.

"Destiny, you might say," I answered coyly. "She's originally from Gormott, but we met on Prudentia. It's a long story."

"I heard she saved the Special Inquisitor." She turned to smile at us when she heard him say that. "Does she really have mystical healing powers?"

"You'd better believe it. She won't let anyone die. Not on her watch." It was good to remind myself of that, especially not knowing if there was something dangerous out there as Brighid had theorized.

I wasn't the only one aboard wondering about it. In time, the soldiers started to talk amongst themselves. It wasn't hard to overhear their conversation. One soldier believed that there were pirates roaming the Cloud Sea. Another soldier believed that there was a monster hiding in the depths. (The Cloud Sea is so vast, I wouldn't be surprised if either theory is true.)

"Attention! Unidentified vessel off the starboard side!" one of the rooftop soldiers shouted through the hatch. I quickly climbed up the ladder to peer outward. Indeed, there was a ship in the distance. Having forgotten that I was still on the ladder, I felt someone tap me on my foot. I climbed all the way up and Nia followed, along with a few more soldiers and Blades.

"Do you see it, Rem?" She looked to the right with one hand brushing her bangs away from her eyes. The wind was fierce, and the mist made it difficult to see the other ship in detail. Soon, all the soldiers were looking at me for directions. (Oh! Right… I'm captain of the ship… sort of…)

"Have your weapons ready. That ship's going in the opposite direction. Let's see if it starts coming towards us." While the soldiers had their eyes on the ship, I looked down into the Cloud Sea. Remembering the stakeout mission at the Ardainian port last year, I carefully scanned the area in front of us for any smaller boats that might've been sneaking through the clouds. Five minutes passed, and soon the unidentified ship was gone. "Stand down. I think we're in the clear."

"Were you nervous?" Nia patted me on the shoulder.

"No, not at all." She tilted her head and gave me a crooked smile. "Okay, maybe a little bit…" I rotated the soldiers for patrol duties and returned to the ship's quarters to find Kirk standing at attention. "Don't worry. False alarm."

"Aw…" he sulked and loosened his grip on his greataxe. "I was hoping for a little action."

"We're just a protective team. Action is what we _don't_ want." I looked past him to Brusa and Goliad who still hadn't moved from their corner. "If we end up sitting around doing nothing for all of our trips, then we should consider ourselves lucky."

~ GOETUIS WHARF, port of the Titan Indol ~

We arrived at the Indoline Praetorium a few hours later. The ship's pilot informed me that the delivery usually took an hour to complete, so I allowed Kirk, Brusa, and their Blades to roam around. Not wanting their imperious presence to cause a disturbance with the locals, I ordered the soldiers to stay behind and guard the ship.

"Well, Nia, here we are… at the Indoline Praetorium." We gazed in awe at the magnificent cityscape and its impeccably-chiseled architecture. "Never in my life did I think I'd ever visit this place."

"See? I told you it'd be fun!" She tugged at my shirt. "C'mon! You let the others go, so why don't we check it out ourselves?" As we started to enter the plaza, some Indoline guards walked past us and met with the pilot and inventory specialist. (They must be here for the delivery.)

~ QUATTOR STREET, main street of Indol ~

We were surprised to see so many shops in a place not known for tourism. I'd always been told that people came to Indol because either they were invited or they were in trouble. Praetor Amalthus was respected by all, although some of that respect might've come from fear.

~ REFUGEE CAMPGROUND, of Indol ~

As we turned the corner, we found a refugee camp stretching all the way to the edge of the Titan. There were people from all walks of life, and nobody looked happy.

"What's goin' on 'ere?" Nia asked me discreetly. "This looks just like Mor Ardain."

"They told us in school that Indol was a home for lost souls, but I didn't expect to see so many." I couldn't help but look at the line of people waiting for food. Something didn't feel right. "We just had lunch at a bustling deli a minute ago and here are tons of people starving." (How did they end up like this while I've got a cozy house and more gold than I know what to do with?)

Driven by our curiosity, we walked through the camp which was a maze of canopies. Crates were stacked by the wall where some kids played hide-and-seek in the dirt. It wasn't long before some of the refugees noticed us. People always stared at us whenever we entered a new place, but there was something different about this crowd. They almost seemed angry.

"Nia… we'd better leave." I tried to get us out of there as inconspicuously as possible. "I think they can tell that we're not destitute like they are."

~ GOETUIS WHARF ~

Everyone returned to the ship within the hour. I was relieved that I didn't need to search for latecomers. Kirk and Galloway came back with a couple of souvenirs in hand. The pilot and inventory specialist confirmed that the delivery was handled successfully. After I checked that the whole team was present, we set sail for the homeward trip to Mor Ardain.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

We arrived in Mor Ardain by sunset. Special Inquisitor Càidh and Brighid were still away, so the pilot and inventory specialist took the elevator upstairs to give their reports of the delivery to the emperor directly. Everyone else dismissed themselves for the evening.

~ JAKOLO'S INN ~

"Nice goin', captain!" Nia praised as we got back to our room at the inn. "You handled that pretty well."

"Thanks. I'm glad that we didn't have any obstacles out there." I was exhausted despite not battling today.

"You worried for nothing." She removed her boots and sleeves and prepared a pot of tea for us. "And Indol was great, yes?"

"Yes, except for that refugee camp." I kicked off my shoes as well and sat by the table. "It left a sour taste in my mouth."

"Here, have some sweet tea, then." She passed me a cup. "But you're right. It was downright depressing. I wish we could do something about it."

"I think we'd be biting off more than we can chew. We certainly don't have the time to worry about them right now." I finished my tea and shuffled my aching feet over to the window. "We've got two more full days of traveling to do…"

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

Next morning, we returned to the palace to find Special Inquisitor Càidh talking to a group of soldiers whom I assumed were the same ones from yesterday.

"Good morning, driver Remi and Blade Nia," the Special Inquisitor turned to greet us. "My apologies for missing your return last night. Brighid and I were quite busy."

"Oh? Doin' what?" Nia was as curious as a cat.

"It's top-secret information. I'm afraid I cannot disclose, not even to you." As he spoke, I noticed some of the soldiers whispering amongst themselves. "Anyway, today's roster will be the same as yesterday's. Seeing as how your first day went so smoothly, I suppose we don't need any additional drivers."

Kirk, Brusa, and their Blades joined us within the next five minutes. Like yesterday, once the Special Inquisitor signed the roster sheet, we were on our way to Indol with a shipment of core crystals.

~ CLOUD SEA ~

This second trip to Indol was much like the first. Since we had the same team as before, I didn't see the need to check on everyone again which I'm sure was fine with Brusa. The only time she left her corner of the ship was when it was her turn to patrol the rooftop.

"Hey you." Nia leaned against the wall beside me. "So, what do you think the Special Inquisitor and Brighid are up to?"

"I haven't a clue. In a position like theirs, it could be anything." I glanced across the room to the soldiers sitting together. "Although, I have a feeling somebody here might know." They looked at each other for a moment.

"You didn't hear this from me, but they've been trying to cover up something," one soldier offered.

"Yeah, some scandal from the championship," another soldier spoke next.

"The Cloud Sea Championship? But that was almost a year ago." Brusa finally perked up when I mentioned it, but she didn't say anything. "Did you guys cheat?" They all hesitated. (_Duh_… of course nobody would admit to that.)

"Rem…" Nia pulled me close to whisper. "Remember the attack on Regideria?" She referred to the rumored _foul play_ on the winning nation following the championship.

"Forget about it," I shouted back to the soldiers. "That's not what we're here for, anyway." (And I certainly don't want to get sucked into spreading rumors.)

With approximately one hour to go, it was our turn to patrol the rooftop. Nia and I climbed up the ladder to relieve Kirk and his Blade Galloway. "Alright guys, you can go back down, now."

"Time's up already?" Kirk pouted at us. "It's so boring down there. Patrolling is the only thing that's interesting."

"I'm so sorry that we're not being attacked," Nia apologized sarcastically. "Seriously though, you should be glad that it's been uneventful so far." With an audible sigh, the young Ardainian left his post and went back down the ladder. His Blade shrugged his shoulders and followed soon after. "Thrill-seekers, sheesh."

"Hey now, you're sort of a thrill-seeker yourself, no?" She gave me the evil eye.

"I'm not like that, you twit." She shoved me playfully as she went to cover the port side.

~ GOETUIS WHARF ~

We were back in Indol before we knew it. Like yesterday, the pilot and inventory specialist handled the delivery with some Indoline guards while we drivers toured the Titan. Unlike yesterday, however, I noticed that we weren't the only ones making a delivery. Occupying the other wharf was a Tantalese ship, but I couldn't tell what they brought.

~ POLDIS CIRCLE ~

After lunch, Nia and I roosted on the upper plaza overlooking the refugee campground. It was as if we were drawn back to it, although we thought better than to go near it again.

"I see Ardainians down there… and Gormotti… and Regiderian…" I observed. "A lot of them are kids. I wonder if they were born in Indol as refugees."

"I can't imagine having a life down there." She focused on the food line. "What can they do besides beg for a meal?"

"I don't know, but it's giving me flashbacks of my childhood." I remembered how I used to share bunkbeds with other kids my age at the orphanage and tattered tents with fellow mercenaries at the Solly Mercs camp. Back then, the only things I owned were the dirty clothes that I was wearing. These bleak images from the past were vivid in my head. "It's a lifestyle that I never want to experience again."

"Rem…" Nia's voice brought me back to the present. "Are you okay? You look like you're about to cry."

"We should head back to the ship. This scene is making me depressed." Looking at me with solemn eyes and a pronounced lower lip, Nia took me by the hand and together we walked downstairs to the wharf. The delivery had gone as planned, so we were soon on our way back to Mor Ardain.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

Once again, Special Inquisitor Càidh and Brighid were nowhere to be found when we docked the ship. We all dispersed with hardly a wave or a goodbye.

~ JAKOLO'S INN ~

My somber mood persisted despite a hearty Ardainian dinner and a refreshing evening wash. Nia prepared another pot of tea as I climbed into bed.

"You never answered my question," she spoke from across the room. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Oh? Yeah, don't worry. I'm sure I'll feel better in the morning." I lifted my blanket and invited her to sit next to me. "Besides, even if I _am_ about to have another moody episode, I've got free access to the best doctors in Prudentia."

"Right, right." She sipped her tea and offered some to me. "I'm not happy when you're not happy, so you know I'll always try to keep your spirits up as best as I can."

"Nia, it doesn't take much for you to make me happy." I kissed her on the cheek which almost made her spill her tea. "The closer we are, the happier I am."

"Is that so?" She set her cup on the nightstand and scooted closer to me. I watched her casually slip her hand under the blanket and felt her sneak into my undergarment. I shivered at the touch, but I wasn't ready to let her finish.

"Not here." I shook my head and pulled her hand out. "It only feels right to do it at home."

"Fair enough." She winked at me and went over to her bed. "Goodnight, Rem."

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

"Welcome back, driver Remi and Blade Nia," Special Inquisitor Càidh greeted us the next morning. "Once again, my apologies for missing your arrival last night. I was told that everything went smoothly, even more so than the first day."

"Correct," I confirmed. "Nothing bad has happened."

"Yet…" Nia added with a smirk. "Oh come on, Rem, I'm just teasin'!"

"Before Brighid and I depart, I need to update you of a change to the roster." The Special Inquisitor retrieved his clipboard and cleared his throat. "Ahem… driver Kirk and Blade Galloway have opted out of any further trips to Indol, and in their place will be driver James and Blade Godfrey."

"That doesn't surprise me. Kirk was rather bored." I turned around to make sure that he wasn't behind me to hear that.

"I also understand that this will be your last trip for us." He approached me and bowed his head. "The empire is grateful for your services. I wanted to thank you now in case I'm not here when you return."

"It's been our pleasure, sir. I'm sorry we can't stay for the fourth trip." I was sorry that we'd be passing on an additional paycheck, but I wasn't about to tell him that. A few minutes later, Brusa, Goliad, and the replacements, James and Godfrey arrived. After the new recruits were briefed on the mission, the Special Inquisitor bid us farewell.

~ CLOUD SEA ~

I anticipated another smooth journey to Indol. As usual, Brusa and Goliad kept to themselves, as did the soldiers with their Blades.

"Remi, is it?" James came over with Godfrey, his handsome redhead Blade dressed in iced armor. "Remember us? We drove the Brionac out of Teddim last year."

"Ah yes, good to see you two again." Even though we were teammates before, this was my first time speaking with them.

"Good job on keeping the Special Inquisitor alive and all," he complimented wryly. "How are you feeling? You were on the ground the last time I saw you."

"Oh…" I felt myself blush. "I'm sorry you saw me in such a mess, but I am much better now, thanks to Nia. She'll make sure that we all stay safe."

"These sorts of missions aren't my cup of tea," Godfrey joined the conversation, "but my driver got on the good side of the empire, so I guess I can't complain."

"Frankly, as much as I love my country, I'm really here for the gold." The young Ardainian wrapped his arm around his Blade. "Godfrey here would rather fight for justice than be a chaperone."

"As long as we're being honest, the money is what roped me into this gig as well. Nia and I were supposed to head home after we ran some errands." She draped herself on my arm and kissed me on the cheek which caught James' attention.

"Ah, are you two… uh… y'know…" I blushed in front of him again and tried to wriggle out of Nia's grasp, but she didn't let go.

"Yeah…" I confessed, "but please don't spread it around." Brusa sneered audibly.

"It's fine. Whatever floats your ship." He nodded at us and walked over to introduce himself and Godfrey to the soldiers. I turned my attention to Brusa who continued to judge us with her eyes. I struggled to keep my emotions in check as we approached her in the dark corner.

"Have you got something to say?" I interrogated her as quietly as I could.

"It's nothing," she lied under her breath.

"You reacted. This isn't _nothing_ to you." Nobody spoke next, and after a minute, I decided it was time to drop it.

"Don't let her get under your skin," Nia cautioned. "You know people pass judgment when they're uncomfortable of something that's different from them."

"All the same, I need some fresh air." I started to climb up the ladder to the rooftop. "Come on, it's nearly our turn to patrol anyway." Once outside, I called to the two soldiers and their Blades and told them to head back inside. I took my post on the starboard side, but Nia didn't go to her side yet.

"Hey… Rem." I felt the heat from her body in contrast to the cold air as we flew over the Cloud Sea. "Is it safe to assume that that's why you want to keep our relationship private?"

"Yes. I can't wait for a world that doesn't mind who you like… human or Blade, man or woman." I tried to take a deep breath, but the cold air tickled the back of my throat. "But enough about that. Go watch your side of the ship! We hens have a nest to protect!"

"You're weird!" she hollered.

"I don't care!" As soon as I shouted back, we heard a clunk of metal, and a door of the ship fell into the clouds. Seconds later, the ship began a slow descent. Instinctively, I ran for the hatch and climbed down the ladder.

With our weapons drawn, we all faced the cockpit, and out came the most intimidating Blade I'd ever seen. Dressed in silver armor with a spiked mask over his eyes, the Blade reached for his nodachi and advanced toward us.

I swallowed hard. "Who are you?!"


	18. Rough Ride

Chapter 18 "Rough Ride"

~ CLOUD SEA ~

"Who are you?!" The intruder didn't answer me. The air grew cold as he advanced towards us with his nodachi in hand. His long hair was silver like his armor, and I was completely transfixed by the spiked mask that covered his eyes. I wasn't even paying attention to how he had intimidated us into backtracking, like a bully in an alley. "I'll ask again… who are you?"

When we backed up as far as we could go, it occurred to me that he wasn't trying to scare us but rather he was going for the core crystals behind the back wall. Just as I was about to order the team to guard the door, I saw Nia quietly climb down the ladder behind our uninvited guest. (What?! She wasn't with me this whole time?!)

Feeling her presence behind him, the Blade turned around and spotted her. She and I were completely separated. With his back turned at us, I ordered the soldiers to subdue the intruder. In a single motion, he spun around and collided his one weapon with all of theirs. Nia used this diversion to sneak into the cockpit and check on the pilot. In another swift motion, the Blade swung back and knocked all of the soldiers and their common Blades to the floor.

I held up my shield and gripped Nia's scimitar. However, since we were separated, she wasn't able to power it. I was helpless in this state. The Blade walked past the incapacitated soldiers, brushing some of them aside with his feet. Soon, Nia reappeared from the cockpit, bringing a faint blue aura with her which filled the room.

"Wh-what do we do now?" James asked me with a trembling voice. "This guy's unreal." Even Brusa hesitated.

"Guard the door with your shield-hammer!" I shouted to James before I turned to Brusa. "Alright, time to prove yourself! Go on the offensive!"

"Right, then…" She tightened her grip on her megalance as Goliad powered it with his earth element. Curious to see what sort of fight she could bring, the still-unidentified Blade stopped and let her come at him. The sound of the two weapons striking was loud in the cramped room. In the meantime, Nia finally reunited with me and powered up the scimitar.

"Are you hurt?" Her healing powers encased me.

"No, I'm fine," I responded out of breath from the adrenaline rush, "but what about the soldiers and the pilot?"

"The pilot will live but he's out cold. I'm still healing the others." As she said that, I noticed that the room was still glowing a faint light of blue. "I'm sorry, but I can't fully support you and keep them alive at the same time."

After a minute of taking swipes at each other, the intruder used a little more muscle and slammed Brusa against the wall. As she fell to the floor, Goliad grabbed the megalance from her and took a defensive pose in front of her. He put up a valiant effort, much like how he did against Nia and I in the championship. Ultimately, he was knocked down as well.

"Please… I beseech you… stop this!" I didn't like how desperate my words sounded, but I was indeed desperate. "We're flying over neutral territory. We're not trying to invade your Titan!" The Blade stepped closer to us, still without a scratch on him. I felt Nia's power on the scimitar weaken as she reallocated some of her healing to Brusa and Goliad.

The silver-haired Blade sensed our vulnerability and struck with enough force to send both of us against the wall. My shield shattered like glass and Nia's scimitar was flung clear out of reach. We fell to the floor, stunned, gasping for air. I might've blacked out for a moment, but I wasn't sure. Perhaps it was the cold floor against my hot skin that prevented me from fully losing consciousness. As I lied there motionlessly, I barely made out the faint glow of Nia's healing aura still reaching across the room. She must've retained her consciousness as well which was the only relief that I felt amongst the throbs of pain. There was ringing in my ears as I heard James and Godfrey scream and shout.

Eventually, I found enough strength to roll over to face the Blade as he sliced open the door to the core crystal storage. By now, he had incapacitated everybody except for Nia and I, plus the inventory specialist who curled over in fear.

Unaware of how much noise I was making, I struggled to crawl over to my partner. She rested on her stomach with one hand out to keep her healing power going and the other hand in front of her face. I reached for her hand and instantly I regained a little bit more strength, as if I had siphoned from her power.

The violence ceased. The powerful Blade sheathed his weapon and gazed at the collection of core crystals. The inventory specialist could've grabbed the Blade by the neck, but he remained on the floor in a cowering, fetal position. Our uninvited guest had us completely under his thumb and he knew it. Casually, he picked up a core in its container, then another, like a customer browsing in a shop. At this point, I expected him to steal a rare core or two, but instead he put everything back.

"You're all fortunate. This is a much better fate." At long last, the Blade spoke, although he appeared to be talking to the cores instead of us. (Is he delusional?)

"Nia… honey…" I helped her sit up and held her tight. If this was to be the end for us, then the final thing that I wanted to do before we died was hug her. I didn't know how long we sat together like that, but eventually the Blade exited the storage room and returned to us.

"So, you're still breathing." He was definitely talking to us now. He reached for his nodachi and raised it over our heads.

"_No!_" Nia screamed and increased the magnitude of her healing aura. We hunched over and braced for impact, but it never came. However, the stress was too much for me and I fell over in a dizzy spell. Nia leaned down to shield me from the Blade who simply stood there and watched us. Again, I wasn't sure if I blacked out or not. I lost track of time while I waited for my vision to clear.

"Impressive," the Blade spoke placidly and sheathed his weapon. Nia lifted herself off of me to face him bravely. Their eyes met, and her heavy, labored breathing soon calmed. It was as if he had put her in a trance. He got down on one knee and held out his hand in front of her, like a marshmallow to a campfire. Was he offering to help her stand up or was he getting a feel of her power? I wasn't sure what to think at that moment until he spoke again. "This is unlike anything I've ever felt."

"I… I don't know… who you are, but… you will _not_ break me." Exhausted to her core, Nia was barely able to talk coherently. "Nobody dies today…"

"Humans aren't worth the strife." He continued to look deep into her eyes with his expression unchanging. "Fine. Suit yourself." He stood up and walked to the door which he had ripped open earlier. After surveying the mess that he had made of us, the Blade nimbly jumped out.

"Nia?" I looked up to her. "Are we still ali-" A loud crash of slicing metal deafened the air and the ship slowly tipped backward. It felt like we were sliding off of the small Titan. Nia grabbed ahold of me as everybody else rolled across the tilted floor and piled up against the back wall; a few of them even slid into the storage room. Then came another crash as we plunged into the Cloud Sea.

I entered a heightened state of panic. In my mind, I was climbing over lifeless bodies to try to escape; but in reality, I was stuck. Even if there weren't other people lying on top of me, I didn't have enough strength to move anyway. It took less than a minute for the Cloud Sea to fill the severed ship. The air became heavy to breathe, but we managed through it.

"Thank the Architect… we're floating…" Light was visible through the hatch. "Nia? Nia, where are you?" I felt someone squeeze my hand.

"I'm here…" By now, her power had ceased, but it appeared that everybody was saved albeit knocked unconscious. Still, I worried that they might suffocate. I finally extricated myself from under our teammates and pulled Nia out soon after. We spent the next twenty minutes carrying everybody precariously up the ladder to the roof of the ship. Fortunately, the inventory specialist was also still awake and able to assist us.

"One, two, three…" I started to take a headcount of the team on the rooftop.

"Is that everybody?" Nia asked in a tired huff, barely able to stand.

"Yes, we're all here." I looked in all directions across the Cloud Sea which was now up to our feet. "I don't see that rogue Blade anymore."

"Good. That's… that's very good, yeah?" She clutched her core and collapsed. Horrified, I scrambled to come to her aid, tripping over the legs of our teammates along the way. I held her in my arms and rested her head underneath mine.

"Hey… hang in there…" Her breath was hot on my hand as I placed it on hers over her core.

"I'll be fine…" Her weathered voice was so quiet that I hardly heard her over the Cloud Sea's din.

"You saved us." I brushed her hair away from her eyes. "I've only got strength right now because of you."

"I know…" She tried to smile through her fatigue but sleep soon took over.

We drifted for hours. I struggled to process what had happened. It was all a proverbial blur. One moment, we were fine, on our way to Indol for a simple delivery. Next moment, we were fighting for our lives against the most random of intruders, and an insurmountably powerful one at that.

Perhaps it wasn't random. Perhaps that Blade was the cause of the Ardainian ships disappearing in the past. Everybody had thought that it might've been pirates or a monster. I was sure that we could've handled those. And yet, we didn't stand a chance against this one Blade who somehow found us in the middle of nowhere.

How come the first two trips to Indol went smoothly while this one went down catastrophically? Perhaps the masked Blade was too far away to detect the presence of so many core crystals, until today. But where did he come from? Where was his ship? There were clearly no Titans roaming this part of the Cloud Sea. There was no sign of the small Titan which used to carry this ship either. I was the acting captain of a partially-submerged vessel, and I didn't know how to get us out of this terrible situation.

I wanted to blame the Special Inquisitor and Brighid for devising this mission and putting this team together without enough preparedness, but I knew that I was also to blame for suggesting it in the first place. As no person had ever returned from an ambushed delivery mission, neither the Special Inquisitor nor Brighid had any idea that the threat would turn out to be so dangerous. I knew I should've declined their offer for me to lead this mission in exchange for more gold than I would ever know what to do with. I hated myself for allowing greed to put me back in harm's way.

After the anger from the situation wore out, grief and worry took over. I gazed down at Nia who looked so peaceful in her slumber, with her hair tussled, her outfit soiled, her skin chafed. I'd never seen her in such a worn-out state before. I wanted nothing more than for us to be back home in Hagan Village. We were alive for now, but would we starve before we could come up with a way to get home? Tears were starting to well up, but I held them back fearing that crying would mean giving up hope. I had to remind myself that, as long as Nia and I were together, we had hope.

Something had to be done. Careful to not disturb her, I removed her sleeves and tucked them under her head like a pillow. I instructed the inventory specialist to watch over the crew before I climbed down the ladder into the cloud-filled ship. It was like trying to navigate through fog. Using the sunlight coming in through the hatch, I stumbled into the cockpit to search for a radio transmitter or a telecommunicator. It was tough to see, but it appeared that everything in the cockpit had been damaged beyond repair.

Turning around, and bumping against the doorway in the process, I hobbled across the main room to the storage room in hopes of finding a flare gun or any sort of distress-signaling device. The collective glow of the core crystals afforded me enough visibility to locate the emergency panel. I opened it to find sufficient quantities of dried provisions, containers of pollen orbs, and a couple of flashlights. They weren't nearly what I was expecting to find, but I gratefully took them anyway.

Back on the rooftop, some of the crew had awoken. Appropriately, they were scared and confused, but seeing the emergency stash of food calmed them down a little bit.

"I don't think I need to tell you all to conserve the food supply. We're lucky to have any at all." I made sure to update each member of the team as he or she woke up. The dried food tasted awful, but it was better than nothing. Nearly everybody's armor was torn where the masked Blade had sliced them open. Bruised and battered besides, Nia's mass-healing had done the trick and saved us all.

The sun was hanging low on the horizon. With radio communication out of the question, we brainstormed ways to get our damaged vessel moving again. No suggestion seemed to pan out, our resources were limited, and we were running out of daylight.

"What if we cut off parts of the ship and used them as lifeboats?" one soldier wondered.

"No dice. We have no means of propulsion," James countered the idea. "Even if you guys have wind-powered Blades, it'd be no use because none of you have ether-cannons."

"Why don't we resonate with some of the cores in storage?" another soldier asked. "Surely one of them will provide an ether-cannon."

"We're not resonating with any new Blades," I vetoed, "not while we're confined to this small space." The smaller the number of individuals to bring back to Mor Ardain, the better.

"What are those green things?" a third soldier pointed to the containers of pollen orbs that I had found in the emergency panel.

"Pollen orbs…" I picked up a container and read the label. "_Use for taming Titan to serve as vessel_. _Not for human consumption_."

"We keep those on the ship in case the Titan stops cooperating with our commands," the pilot explained.

"Can we use them as bait to attract a new Titan to replace the original one?" I asked him. As a Titan ship pilot, he understood Titan behavior better than anyone else here.

"We can try, although we don't have any anglers." He took a container and studied the pollen orb inside. "We would have to grind it into dust and spray it downwind."

"Do it," I ordered without deliberation. "It's our best shot yet." I passed a couple of containers to him and stood up to determine the wind direction. "It's blowing from the bow, so spray it off the stern."

"Right…" Everybody made room for the pilot as he carried the containers across the rooftop. We all watched him unscrew the caps and use them to grind down the pollen orbs into dust. Some of it immediately plumed into the air, but luckily, he was wearing a mask like the other soldiers. Once finished, he leaned over the edge of the roof and sprinkled the dust. I couldn't see it in the darkness, but I trusted that he had put out an ample amount.

I instructed the soldiers to take turns keeping watch and gave them the flashlights to use. As night fell, all of the Blades' ether lines provided a calming glow across the rooftop, like a nightlight. I crawled over to Nia who remained asleep and snuggled next to her. The evening temperature and the wind chill made for a very cold night, and the surface was uncomfortably hard, but I was tired enough to fall asleep anyway.

Everyone hushed, and the sounds of the sea took over…

I woke up the next morning with my face buried in Nia's long hair. My heart sank when I remembered where we were. Unsurprisingly, my body ached from lying on a cold, hard surface for hours. My neck and shoulders hurt the worst.

"Nia…" I whispered closely. No response. She was still asleep. I rolled onto my back and stretched out. It was a beautiful day, despite our predicament.

"Good morning!" Godfrey greeted in a cheery mood. Nobody was smiling. "Okay, I know it's not _exactly_ good, but we can't stay down forever, y'know?"

"Your effort is appreciated." I got on my feet and observed our current state. Some soldiers and Blades were patrolling the edges while others were still asleep. I shook the kinks out of my legs and walked over to the soldiers minding the stern. "Any signs of life out there?"

"Nothing major. Just a couple of gradies," one soldier reported.

"Alright. Carry on." If I didn't know better, it looked like we were on a group fishing trip. Our rations were already halfway consumed. I knew we were running out of time. Surely by now, the Special Inquisitor must've figured out that we encountered trouble. Then again, maybe he was too busy to notice. I wasn't sure if we'd drifted off-course. If the Ardainian empire was out to search for us, then they probably would've followed our usual course.

"Remi…?" Nia was awake at last. I returned to her side and helped her sit up. "Are we still…?" She looked around and sighed. "Shite… I was hopin' it was just a nightmare." As she buried her face in my neck, she moaned at the pain in her back.

"Can you heal yourself?" I wondered. She wrapped her arms around her abdomen and closed her eyes, but nothing happened.

"I… I can't…" She let go of herself and stared at the palms of her hands. "I'm all used up…"

"I'm not surprised. Never before had I seen you exert your healing power like that." We sat together in silence before she winced in pain again.

"Ugh… I'm not used to hurting for more than a few minutes." She put her hands on her back and thrust her chest forward to stretch, but it didn't do any good. "Help me up, would you?" Back on her feet, she walked to the center of the roof and watched the pilot and a soldier grind two more pollen orbs into dust and spray it downwind. "What are they doing?"

"We're trying to attract a new Titan to carry us back home," I explained. "That's what those substances are used for."

"Looks a bit messy." She pointed out how their armors were covered in the dust.

"We're all a little dirty right now," James commented as he and Godfrey came over to us. "At least we're alive. We owe you big time." They both shook her hand which prompted some of the soldiers to do the same.

We spent the next few hours sitting around and exchanging stories. It was _almost_ fun, but I couldn't admit it to myself. Our foodstuffs were scarce, and I was anxious to get back home in time for my special day with Nia. Time ticked away while we waited for the pollen bait to work, until…

"_Titan ahoy!_" Somebody announced from the stern. The whole crew left their posts to look behind the ship. Appearing through the mist was a Titan indeed. It was a magnificent sight to behold. I was overcome with a rush of relieve as the Titan came into view. The sun shined down on us like a ray of hope, and some of the soldiers applauded.

"Steady now. We still have to corral it and tame it," I reminded everybody. As the Titan drew closer, we realized that we'd attracted a big one. In fact, it started to look _too_ big. We were already experiencing the turbulence from the waves that it was making in the Cloud Sea, and it was still far away. We all looked at each other as the mood dropped. Nobody wanted to cheer anymore. Fear had completely overtaken the joy that we felt a few minutes ago. (What have we done?)

"_Oh Architect have mercy!_" somebody shouted at the top of their lungs.

"What? What is it?" I tried not to panic.

"It's Uraya! It's the Urayan Titan!" I had no idea who shouted that as everybody riled up quite a commotion. The rooftop was in an absolute frenzy. Some soldiers even got down on their knees and prayed. I wracked my brain for an escape plan, or at least something to minimize the damage…

"Everybody! Down the hatch! Now!" Nobody heard me. "_Hey!_ Down the hatch! We can't risk anybody falling overboard!" I had to grab each person by the shoulder to get them to follow me below deck. Meanwhile, Nia retrieved the leftover rations along the way.

We huddled in the cloud-filled ship and counted the seconds until the Urayan Titan was upon us. It was very difficult to breathe in the submerged room, especially since we were all filled with terror and trepidation. Nia and I clung onto each other so tightly that I was sure that she felt my heartbeat.

"Just remember, Rem," she started to speak before inhaling sharply. "We'll always be together, no matter what happens to us…"

"We can't die, Nia. We just can't. We've got our special day coming up." The roar from the Titan grew louder. Soon it was loud enough to drown out the screams from the crew. I couldn't even tell if I was screaming or not. Darkness consumed us as the Titan opened its mouth and swallowed us whole. We spun and tumbled violently. It was the scariest thing I'd ever experienced. None of it seem real. I tried to find solace in the fact that Nia and I were still in each other's arms. If we were destined to remain trapped in this pitch-black, torturous prison, then at least we were trapped together.

In due time, the rough ride was over, and all was quiet. My senses were shot. It felt like we were floating in nothingness. I didn't know if we were still alive or in some portal to the afterlife. I'd never allowed such thoughts to enter my mind before. I waited for something to happen, but nothing else happened. I tried to see, but I saw nothing. I tried to talk, but I heard nothing. I tried to feel… anything. I was willing to feel anything, including pain. I squeezed my hands, and slowly my brain registered warmth. I flexed again and felt something warm, and soft.

"Yeah… I'm still 'ere." It was Nia, and I couldn't have been gladder.


	19. Faith Above Failure

Chapter 19 "Faith Above Failure"

~ GREATMAW RAPIDS, of the Titan Uraya ~

"Yeah… I'm still 'ere," Nia crooned. I fell limp in her warm embrace. As there was nothing left to see, I closed my eyes and submitted to our unknown fate. I wasn't interested in learning our fate at that moment.

"There you are!" Someone shined a flashlight at us, and instantly I snapped back into the cold, hard reality. We squinted and turned to see James. "Oh, sorry! Do you… need a moment?"

"Huh? Oh… no, we're fine." I rolled off of Nia and squeezed my arms and legs to check that I was actually fine. I was hurting for certain, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. Perhaps I'd experienced a panic attack which made the whole sequence of events seem worse. Miraculously, we survived. "Nia? You okay?"

"Not especially." She tried to stand but quickly fell down to her knees. "Oh… my back…"

"My shoulders are worse as well." I couldn't stretch my arms without experiencing pain, but I was glad to feel anything at all. Everyone in the ship was awake and alert, although some soldiers remained on the floor and groaned in agony.

"What're we gonna do now?" someone asked me, reminding me that I was still the one in charge. I received a flashlight and peered out the door to assess the situation. The ship had come to rest in a lake with the back end sticking out on land. We carefully set foot in what appeared to be a cave connecting with a tunnel. (So… this is what it's like to be inside a Titan. Not exactly something I was ever curious about…)

Soon, more people exited the severed ship and secured the surrounding area. The air was damp and rancid, and the ground felt gross to step on, but fortunately there weren't any monsters to take advantage of our imperiled state. Somehow, someway, we had to escape the Titan. I found a large stone to sit on and think.

"What now, genius?" I was interrupted by Brusa who pulled me to my feet by the collar of my tattered shirt. "_Great place_, right? Bah! This is all your fault!" Nia tried to pry me loose, but the pain in her back forced her to retreat. Goliad made no attempt to leash his aggressive driver.

"How is this my fault?" I finally shook her off.

"They said this was your idea!" Brusa huffed back. "We never would've ended up here if not for you!"

"You didn't have to sign up for this mission! You knew the risk!" Now my voice was strained. "If you want to blame somebody, blame the Blade who chopped us down!" I stepped back to sit on the stone again, but Nia had already taken it.

"We're screwed!" There was fire in Brusa's eyes. "We'll never get out of here alive!"

"We're compromised, but we're not screwed," I tried to reason with her. "Keep faith above failure, okay? We'll find a town and charter a ride."

"Are you daft?!" She yanked at her short, pink-sprayed hair. "We're Ardainians in Uraya! We're on their turf now!" At that point, the revelation showed on my face which surely made me look daft indeed. (I forgot I'm the only non-Ardainian here.)

"Uh…" I looked around, and by now everyone was listening closely to our argument. "I still think we haven't any better options. Our ship is clearly not going anywhere."

"I am _not_ going to the Urayans for help!" she protested stubbornly.

"You're not staying here either. This is a ship graveyard." As it turned out, our ship wasn't the only wreckage resting in the lake. "We're not Uraya's first meal."

"Supposedly ships come in and out through the top of the Titan," James joined us with Godfrey and pointed towards the tunnel. "Guess we've got nowhere else to go but that way."

"We'll go once we're ready." I examined the injured crew. A few of us were unable to stand. "Nia, is your power back yet?"

"No…" She looked embarrassed. "I feel so empty right now."

"You guys need medical attention somehow," Godfrey determined as his driver gripped his shoulder. "Some of you are in bad shape."

"Maybe we ought to resonate with more Blades," James suggested. Everybody within earshot perked up. "No offense to Nia, but one of them is bound to be another healer."

"Yeah! The more the merrier, right?" Godfrey was all for the idea. "We'll be safer with extra help, anyhow."

"You don't mind, pal? You wouldn't be my only Blade anymore." The young Ardainian let go of his shoulder and tried to hide his discomfort, but his trusty Blade knew better.

"I won't mind, especially if it means you won't go through life with a bum shoulder." Godfrey relieved his driver of his bulky shield-hammer. "And you'll definitely need a good shoulder if you want to swing this again!"

"You got that right," James concurred. "So, Remi, what do you think? Can we enlist more Blades?"

"Sure. We'll need to lighten the load, anyway." Everybody looked at me when I said that. "What? We can't abandon all of these core crystals!"

"How do you propose we carry them?" Brusa started to grill me again. "Our ship's wrecked!"

"Hold that thought…" I left the group and returned to the ship. The storage room was a mess with cores scattered everywhere. Fortunately, they were all in containers which spared them of damage. Unfortunately, there were no bags nor bins with which to carry them. (Hmm… what can we use instead?)

I grabbed as many cores as I could hold at once and haphazardly brought them outside to the group. Clearly, we couldn't carry them through an entire Titan this way. Brusa gave me the stink eye as I laid them on the ground. They weren't the lightest things in the world to carry. As I lifted my shirt to wipe the sweat off my forehead, I hit upon an idea.

"Goliad, come here please." Brusa's Blade walked over to me but didn't say a word, as usual. "May I borrow your coat?" His oversized outerwear was long enough to be a cape, and it folded sufficiently into the general shape of a bag. All of the cores that I had brought outside fit snuggly into it. "This should do, yes?" I went back into the ship and retrieved another armful of cores, including rare ones. "Okay, if you guys want to bond with a new Blade, here you go."

"I'll go first," Brusa decided and reached for a rare core. She opened the container and covered the core crystal with both hands. In a blinding flash which illuminated the cave, a new Blade appeared before her. It was a blue-skinned lady Blade with white hair draped over one eye. She bowed her head and handed her ice-powered shield-hammer to her new driver.

"Hello, I'm Beila. Pleased to meet you." Brusa accepted the weapon and smiled at her new companion. Nia and I looked at each other in bemusement. This Blade used to be with Reeco during his life of crime, and now she was our teammate.

"Wow!" Godfrey was enthralled. "You've got an ice hammer, too!"

"Too bad it's not something that can heal us," James commented to his excitable Blade. "Guess it's my turn." He reached for a rare core like Brusa did. In another flash of light, a Blade was awakened.

"I'm Cernun! Protector of the animal kingdom!" the new Blade declared. He looked like a man-and-beast hybrid with majestic horns on his head and a torc worn around his neck. "You there! I hope you're a vegetarian!" He handed his beastly megalance to James who tried to keep a straight face. Strike two… megalance Blades couldn't heal. The soldiers took their chances with new common Blades, but none of them were healers either.

"Well? Aren't you going to try one?" Brusa had finished getting acclimated with Beila and turned her attention to me, again. I became uncomfortable quickly. Having witnessed several Blade awakenings by the crew, I hadn't considered bonding with a new Blade myself. Nia had always been my only Blade, and I wasn't the slightest bit interested in bonding with another.

"I… I'm sorry, but I can't do it." Nia got up from the stone and stood by my side. "Nia's my sole Blade, and I don't want that to change."

"Come on! We all did it! You have to do it, too!" The pressure was on from Brusa.

"I can't… I just can't." All eyes were on me. "I don't want another Blade."

"Why?" Brusa crossed her arms and contorted her face. "_Because she's your lover?_"

"Whoa… back off!" I hated this invasion of privacy. "Nia's all I ever need in life. I know I can depend on her."

"Oh? She's pretty useless right now!" The Ardainian lass went too far.

"Why you ungrateful bitch!" Nia hissed, ignoring her own advice about turning the other cheek. "You'd be dead if not for me!" She took one step towards Brusa before Goliad rushed between them and shoved my partner to the ground.

"Hey hey hey! _Cool it!_" James grabbed Goliad by the arm as I hurried over to Nia.

"Are you okay?" She tugged at my shirt and shook her head. The tumble couldn't have been good for her back. I helped her up and glared at Brusa. "You are out of line! Stop needling us, or I'll have you on report!"

"_Hah!_ Go ahead! We're not getting home anyway." She and Goliad retreated to Beila who didn't seem to care that her new driver was causing a ruckus.

"Leave them alone," James continued to defend us. "There's no harm in trying again." He reached for another rare core and commenced the awakening. As the flash of light blinded us, we immediately smelled something unusually fresh and redolent.

"I'm Floren!" Carrying a bitball, the new Blade appeared to be a flower child in the literal sense with a costume made of leaves and petals. "You look like a driver I can depend on."

"Really? I'm flattered!" As James closed his eyes and bowed, Floren turned around and snickered.

"Heh… this one's putty in my hands," the flower child murmured smugly.

"What's that?" James whipped back up straight.

"Oh nothing!" There was something odd about Floren, but what mattered was that this Blade was a healer.

"Listen, Floren… I'm James, this is Godfrey, and we've been shipwrecked here in Uraya," the Ardainian driver explained. "As you can see, we're in dire need of help."

"Uraya?" Floren twirled around and sniffed the air. "Ah… I can smell it!"

"Smell what?" Godfrey sniffed around, too. "Titan-breath?"

"No, silly! It's the scent of the indigenous saffronia." The flower child danced around gracefully while we all looked at each other in confusion. "It's unmistakable! There must be several saffronia trees growing in Uraya!"

"That's… that's nice, but we could _really_ use your help." James was getting annoyed. "Most of us are bruised up, and some can't even walk…"

"I sure would like to see all the saffronias in full bloom." Floren was paying no attention.

"Hey Floren!" I took a turn with the distracted Blade. "My name is Remi. These people are my friends, and…"

"Do they like saffronias too?" The ditzy healer skated across the mossy path and got right up close to my face. The fragrance was heavy, almost overwhelming.

"Um… yes! As a matter of fact, we all like these, uh, saffronias! Isn't that right, everybody?" I faced the crew who all nodded or smiled awkwardly. "I'll make a deal with you. If you heal us, then we'll take you on a tour of Uraya."

"You got it!" Floren retrieved the bitball and held it chest-high. In a rush of green light and flower petals, the cave was filled with a refreshing aura that dampened my skin. I watched in beguilement. This new Blade was completely oblivious to the severity of the situation despite the healing being given to us. Nevertheless, our cuts and bruises were gone in the blink of an eye.

"Ah! My shoulder!" James moved his arm around. "Floren, you're _absolutely wonderful!_" He quickly covered his mouth and cleared his throat. "Ahem… I mean, thanks. We needed that."

"Right on, kid," Brusa complimented as she flexed and pounded her fists together. "You've really earned your keep. It's nice to have a healer among us." She looked Nia dead in the eye.

"Ignore her." I stepped in front of Nia to block her view. "How are you feeling now?"

"Not bad. I'm definitely better, but…" She paused to stretch and loosen up. "I still feel a slight bother in my back."

"It's an improvement." I put my hands on her shoulders as she relaxed her stance. "I'm glad. I didn't like seeing you gloomy."

"Gloomy?" She studied her palms. "My powers haven't returned."

"Maybe you just need more rest." I honestly had no idea, but I remained hopeful that it wasn't a long-term problem.

"What about you, Rem? You're puttin' on a brave face. I can tell." She saw right through me.

"I'm… worried, Nia. I'm worried that we won't make it home in time for, uh…" I glanced around to make sure no one was listening. "You know… our special day. We simply _must_ find a new ship out of here tomorrow."

"Our anniversary is tomorrow?" Her eyes widened.

"It's in two days," I corrected her, "but you know how long traveling can take. I know I should be more concerned about survival, but…"

"It's okay. It's important to me, too." She leaned forward to kiss me on the lips. "But you have to face reality. We probably won't make it back in time."

"Ooo… I didn't know drivers and Blades were allowed to do that!" We both jumped as Floren snuck up on us. "So, when are we going to tour Uraya?"

"Right! You're right. We should leave soon, but first I need to prepare the crew." I left Nia with her fellow healer and called for everybody's attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am aware that you are Ardainians in Uraya, but we must push onward. We've been revitalized, we've gotten reinforcements, and we've got the will to salvage what's left of this mission. And to that end, we will tote as many cores as we can."

"How will we do that?" someone from the crowd hollered.

"As I demonstrated earlier, we can use our shirts as bags if we pinch and tie up the holes." I looked down at my own shirt which had holes and rips everywhere. "Now, I would like for all the men to remove their shirts and follow my folding instructions." All of the soldiers removed their cuirasses and shirts to the delight of the females of the crew. "All set? Now, each of you fill your shirts with as many cores as you can." The collection process took longer than I anticipated, and there was still a small amount of cores leftover. It made me sick to my stomach to leave them behind. (Hopefully they're found by an honest driver and not a monster.)

"Is everybody ready?" I conducted one final check as the soldiers put their cuirasses back on. "Okay then, let's see where the path takes us." Up ahead was the great unknown, and we had no choice but to explore it.

~ JEBBA'S CAVERN ~

Our trek began most unpleasantly. The tunnel steered us around a series of acid-filled caves with an odor foul enough to sting. Not even Floren's fragrance could neutralize it. Regardless, the flower child insisted that the revered saffronias weren't far off. I wondered how long we could humor the Blade. Our goal was to escape the Titan, not to be tourists. Eventually, we entered a large cavern with zigzagging pathways and the first sighting of the famous trees.

"Look! Over there!" Floren pointed across the chasm to a smattering of peach-colored leaves growing out of a hole in the wall. "That's the saffronia alright! I want a closer look at it!"

"Sorry Floren, but we can't fly." I directed us to a path on our right which connected to an overpass above us. "We'll have to find another way around."

~ COBALT CLIFFS ~

The steep incline made our knees stiff, but Floren was kind enough to heal away any aches and pains from the hike. Still, we were getting tired and hungry as the day wore on. If not for my watch, I would've lost track of the time and date. As evening approached, we turned the corner and were greeted by a truly breathtaking sight.

"Great Titan's glory!" James exclaimed with both hands on his head. Laid out before us was the grand interior of Uraya that was too big for words. Saffronia trees and other gorgeous blossoms decorated every inch of the place. Water filled the bottom with several types of fauna drinking from it. "I've never seen such natural beauty like this before!"

"I'll tell you what looks even better." I focused on the far side of the subterranean course where a city sat in plain view with ships floating above. "There's our ticket out of here." Filled with new hope, I encouraged the crew to continue forging ahead. Soon, we came across our first saffronia, but it wasn't the only thing we encountered…

~ MINNET TERRACE ~

"Hey! What are you doing to that poor, defenseless tree?!" Floren ran ahead to confront a couple of Urayans carrying a two-person crosscut saw. A Nopon was accompanying them with a clipboard.

"Meh meh meh! Viltsbine Mercenaries are commissioned to cut down overgrown trees! Friend best not pester!" The Nopon in charge waved his clipboard at Floren as if to shoo the Blade away.

"Floren!" James called out as he and Godfrey caught up. "Don't leave us like that!"

"Who's there?" One of the Urayans dropped his end of the saw as the entire group gathered behind Floren. "What? Ardainian soldiers?! Run! _Run for your lives!_" The two Urayans grabbed their Nopon friend and scurried away.

"Well, that was smooth," James said sarcastically. "They're liable to warn the city about us."

"If they send a platoon after us, then we'll just have to take them down." Brusa threw a few punches in the air like she was ready to fight.

"No, we won't," I vetoed. "We need their help. If they come for us, then we'll surrender."

"What?!" I expected Brusa to lash out at me, yet again. "Do you _want_ to get us killed?!"

"The more we cooperate, the better the chance we have at boarding a ship out of here." I was too tired to yell back at her. "Besides, they'll want to have us out of their hair as quickly as possible."

"Sure, by killing us!" She threw her hands in the air in frustration, nearly knocking a few cores out of Goliad's coat which he was carrying for her.

"Blame me all you want. I'm done arguing with you." I motioned for the crew to keep walking along the terrace. As we left the scene, Floren inspected the saffronia for damage and gave it a hug. I swore its leaves lit up a brighter shade of orange.

We didn't advance much further before I'd heard enough requests from the crew to stop and break out the last of our emergency rations for dinner. We set up camp along a concaved cavity in the cavernous wall with a nearby saffronia for seclusion. Three campfires were necessary to warm up everyone. As we'd done earlier, we took turns resting and guarding the area.

Conversations were aplenty, but I wasn't paying attention to any of them. I couldn't stop worrying about being late for the big day. All escape plans aside, there was no telling what might happen upon our arrival to the city ahead.

"Hey you." Nia joined me away from the group. "A little antisocial tonight, are we?"

"I'm just exhausted." I sat back and admired the foliage. "You're looking no worse for wear, at least since Floren came along."

"She's odd, that one." Nia laid one leg over mine and snuggled close. "I sure wish my back wouldn't throb every so often, though."

"Something's going on inside, Nia." I reached behind and caressed her back. "Blades aren't supposed to retain pain."

"Hmm… so _this_ is how it feels to be human!" She giggled impishly. "How did you get through life before you met me? One injury and you can't do anything for days, right?"

"There was a time when the Solly Mercs had their very own masseuse," I recalled from my teen years. "We'd be out all day, get beaten up, then return to camp for a nice back-rub and a meal."

"Mmm… a massage sure sounds good right about now." Her smile was endearing.

"Sure thing, Nia." She spun around to face away from the crew, and I crawled to sit behind her. "Hold onto your dress," I instructed as I swept her hair away and untied her outfit to expose her back to me.

"Start in the middle…" A gust of wind blew, and she shivered instantly. "Hurry up, would you? It's parky bein' out 'ere like this!"

"Sorry! My, er, 'powers' don't quite work as quickly as yours," I joked and started to apply pressure to the center of her back.

"Lower," she ordered. "Lower still… no, too low… higher. Yeah, right there… _oooh_…" I glanced behind me and caught James and Godfrey staring, but they quickly turned away. I continued to rub her back for a few more minutes until she shivered again. "Alright, that's enough." She shook my hands off.

"You good?" I checked as I let her hair fall back into place.

"Yeah… I was startin' to feel a little… _too_ _good_…" she admitted, blushing. "Save the rest for when we get home, yeah?"

"I'm sorry, lady, did I not heal you properly?" We were startled as Floren snuck up on us, again.

"What the 'ell? Don't you know it's rude to…" Nia stopped her scolding and sighed. "Anyway, no, don't take it personally, kid. You healed me just fine. There's something wrong with me. That's all." For once, Floren looked serious.

"Where does it still hurt?" The flower child sat behind Nia as I had done and placed both hands on her back.

"Right in the center. It's like a really… dull throb…" Her voice trailed off as Floren administered another round of healing, this time concentrated on one spot.

"That should do the trick!" Floren moved over and let me tie up Nia's outfit.

"Thanks. You really know your stuff." She caught another whiff of the Blade's fragrance. "And your perfume is lovely, too."

"Perfume?" Floren gave us a quizzical look. "I'm not wearing any perfume."

"Really?" I caught another whiff of the fragrance myself. "I guess being a flower girl means smelling nice naturally, right?"

"Girl? Uh… I'm a boy." Floren skated back towards the saffronia and left us speechless.

In a few hours, the chatter subsided, and we all picked our spots for the night. The ground was much softer than a ship's rooftop, so Nia and I were asleep in no time.

It was utterly peaceful. As the campfires died down, the sounds of the distant waterfalls took over…

"_Alert! Alert!_ Unidentified persons approaching!" I woke up the next morning as one of our common Blades sounded the alarm. I sprang to my feet to see a large group of men in bulky suits of armor.

"Oh for crying out loud! It's the Urayan Army!" someone shouted as everyone reached for their weapons.

"Stay on defense and do not initiate," I ordered. Nia and I walked to the front of our group to meet the oncoming squadron. "Let me handle this…"


	20. Urayan Confinement

Chapter 20 "Urayan Confinement"

~ MINNET TERRACE ~

"Good morning!" I greeted the squadron of Urayan soldiers and their common Blades as they reached our campsite.

"Stay right where you are!" their commander shouted. "Surrender, all enemies of the queen!" Nia and I stopped in our tracks as my crew prepared themselves behind us.

"We're not here to fight. We need your help." I showed them my empty hands to appear as nonthreatening as possible, but they responded with megalances pointed straight at me. "I swear we come in peace!"

"Hollow words, drongo! Mor Ardain doesn't know peace!" The Urayan Commander raised his hand and soon his soldiers had us surrounded with their Blades at the ready.

"Remi?" James looked to me for directions.

"Stand down! Do not initiate! Defend yourselves if they attack!" I called the shots confidently, but not everybody listened.

"Stand down?! You've lost it!" Brusa wound up Beila's shield-hammer as her new Blade began to power it.

"Men, restrain her," I ordered. Tentatively, two of our soldiers grabbed her and wrestled her to the ground which surely surprised the Urayans. "I'm serious. We will stand down and cooperate…"

"You can't fool us!" The Urayan Commander raised his megalance to my neck. "We've seen your lot try to infiltrate the palace under false pretenses before!"

"If we were going to attack you, then don't you think that we would've been more subtle about it?" I tried to reason with him. "You caught us sleeping… literally." That got them thinking.

"An interesting point," he admitted, "but under her majesty's ruling, we must take you under arrest."

"Sir! Look at what they've stashed!" One Urayan soldier pointed to our core crystals stockpiled against the wall. "They must be thieves!"

"Please let me explain!" I was getting exasperated. "We were making a routine delivery to Indol when we crashed into the Cloud Sea and your Titan swallowed us."

"Sir! Take a closer look at their men!" another Urayan soldier shouted. "They're covered in pollen dust!"

"So! Smuggling wasn't good enough for you, eh? You're junkies, too!" The Urayan Commander speared me with his megalance and knocked me to the ground.

"Rem!" Nia knelt beside me and tried to heal me, but her powers still hadn't returned.

"Let me help!" Floren started to run over to us but was barred by a Urayan soldier. As I hobbled back to my feet, the rest of the Urayan Army prodded my crew to start walking. More Urayans showed up to confiscate our cores.

~ DRILLBORE BRIDGE ~

"Keep moving! Don't even think about runnin' away!" The Urayan Commander marched us through the Titan's interior. The terrace of saffronias led to an ancient gate which opened to a natural bridge of mind-boggling geometry. It would've been a magical journey if not for the Urayans poking us with their weapons.

"You're gonna pay for this…" Brusa growled. "I swear I'll make you pay!"

"Fat chance, girly!" the Urayan Commander guffawed. "As if you Ardainians haven't threatened us before!"

"I was talking to my oh-so-fearless leader!" she retorted. I glanced back to see my angry teammate staring me down with her meanest look yet. Several of our captors laughed. I really wanted to turn around and punch her off the bridge, but I had to stay focused on my plan. Captured or not, we were on our way to the very place that I'd been wanting to go.

~ GWENITH PADDIES ~

After climbing a steep, winding highway, we reached the beginning of civilization. On both sides of the path were marshy plantations and saffronia saplings. Up ahead was a dock where additional Urayan soldiers received our core crystals. We were steps away from entering the city, and soon I realized that it was the capital of Uraya.

~ COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, of Fonsa Myma, the Urayan capital ~

What should've been a fun city tour turned into a walk of shame. The locals had all been moved to the upper tiers for our arrival and looked down upon us with disdain. They booed us. They jeered at us. Some of them even spat at us. I went to grab Nia's hand for support, but one Urayan soldier smacked us apart with his weapon. (Seriously? How bad is this going to be?)

~ SEVIND PALACE PLAZA ~

As if the hike so far wasn't bad enough, we walked up scores of stairs to further tax our legs. At the very top stood the largest gate that I'd ever seen. Situated high above it was a series of majestic buildings which I assumed comprised the royal palace. (How much further are they going to drag us?)

~ FONSA MYMA PORT ~

The end was in sight. We entered the port where ships of several types were docked. This was exactly where I wanted to be. Unfortunately, it was the ultimate tease as the soldiers forced us into a prisoner ship.

"In you get!" The Urayan Commander filed us into the floating dungeon. There were more of us prisoners than there were prison cells. I was thrown into a cell with a couple of our common Blades. All of the doors were lined with ether-absorbing panels to keep the them at bay. "Sit tight. I reckon you'll be here for a good, long time."

Soon, a prison warden and two Urayan soldiers arrived to relieve their commander and began patrolling the halls. The warden peered into every cell, almost like he was searching for someone in particular. I had no idea which cell Nia was in, but I trusted that she could handle herself. Powerless that I was, I resigned to sit and contemplate in the corner of my cell.

How could I have ended up in the slammer? I'd lived a good, honest life. I'd helped people and paid my dues. What did I do wrong? How could my luck be so bad? I felt like crying again; but like before, I held back the tears, fearing that crying meant giving up. There was no way that I could give up. There had to be a way out.

"You there!" the warden called through the barred-window. "Yeah, you, with the vine-sword!" I sprang to attention as the warden got up close to the door. "You're the Prudentian, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes I am," I confirmed, nervously.

"State your reasons for siding with the enemy!" He sounded like a schoolmaster admonishing a restless student.

"My name is Remi, of the Solly Mercs. This was a joint-mission with the Ardainian Empire to chaperone their cargo ships of core crystals to Indol for routine deliveries." I was surprised at the strength in my voice despite the stress.

"Right. Now explain why you and the enemy were found slumming in Uraya!" he demanded next.

"We were attacked by an unknown Blade who separated our ship from our traveling Titan. Then Uraya swallowed us… whole. We were on our way here to seek help." I expected the warden to scoff at the last part. Instead, he thought to himself before exiting the ship without another word. (Great… now what?)

All went quiet, so I returned to my corner of the cell. I couldn't sit still, unlike my two cellmates. I wondered if our captors meant to separate drivers from their respective Blades or if we were tossed in here randomly. It didn't matter with the ether-absorbing panels all over the place. Attempting to break out would surely worsen things.

An hour passed before the warden returned. I prepared for another round of questioning, but then I heard the distinctive sound of rattling keys. To my surprise, my cell door opened.

"Prudentian! Get up!" the warden bellowed. "You've been pardoned. Come on out!" I scrambled to my feet and tensely tiptoed out, feeling confused by this sudden turn of events. "You've got a Blade, yes?" He noticed Nia's scimitar on my back. "Who're you with?"

"Oh… uh…" I was a little slow on the uptake as the warden led me down the hall. Guilt filled me as I peered into each cell and saw my teammates dwell in defeat. Eventually, I found Nia in a cell with a common Blade and the inventory specialist. "I'm with her."

"Stand back and make no sudden moves!" The warden unlocked Nia's door and addressed her gruffly. "You! Sheila with the long hair! Come on out!"

"Rem!" Nia wrapped her arms around me in a trembling embrace. The feeling of relief was instant.

"Alright! Break it up! Let's go!" The warden poked us with his bat.

"What's going to happen to them?" I asked of my crew.

"They aren't going anywhere. Her majesty insists. Best bid 'em a fond farewell. I reckon you'll never see 'em again!" The warden indolently tried to hide a grin.

"What about all the core crystals you took from us? Surely there's enough for a fair trade," I attempted to barter with him. "You keep the cores and let my crew go."

"Don't push your luck. We can't let our enemies loose amongst our good people." He made sense even though I knew my crew was in no condition to cause any harm. I didn't want to abandon them like this, but the door to freedom was wide open. Reluctantly, Nia and I began to leave.

"That's right! Just walk away and forget all about us." I knew immediately that it was Brusa giving me the lip one last time. "We were always your tools, anyway."

"Quiet in there!" The warden approached her cell with his bat.

"Let me handle her, if you don't mind," I intervened. "You _did_ allow me to bid them farewell, after all."

"Hmph!" The warden snarled, perhaps regretting his words. "Make it quick and keep your hands where I can see them!" Feeling an odd sense of power over my imprisoned teammate, I walked to Brusa's cell with my arms behind my back.

"This is far from over," I told her sternly.

"You bet it is. When I get out of here, I'm gonna make you pay!" She took one step closer to the door and spat at me through the opening.

"Yeah… you said that earlier." My eyes were locked onto hers as her spit ran down my face. "We all made choices during this odyssey, for one reason or another…"

"What's your flippin' point?" she snapped.

"Fate will see to it that you end up where you belong." I spoke with a double entendre and left it at that. She stared at me and shook her head like I was crazy. It appeared that we were never going to reconcile, at least not anytime soon. I wiped my face with my shirt and sought James next, who happened to be in the same cell as Floren.

"Is this part of the tour?" The poor flower child looked so innocent.

"I'm so sorry, Floren, James… You didn't deserve this." I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"I don't blame you for what happened, Remi," James assured me. "Some things are simply unavoidable."

"Yeah, but…" I was interrupted by the warden's bat pushing against my side. _Visiting hours_ were over, it seemed. Nearly outside, I turned and saw Godfrey waving pathetically from his cell. "You keep the morale up, okay?"

"Aye, aye, captain!" Even in captivity, the ice Blade remained jolly.

"That's quite the motley crew you've got there," the warden commented as we exited the ship.

"They're good people," I pleaded again. "I hope someday you'll drop your bias and see that."

"That pink-haired girl sure has your number. Ardainians are always causing trouble. You'll be glad to be rid of them!" And with that, he returned to the prisoner ship and slammed the door behind him. I felt awful leaving my crew behind, especially after all that we'd been through.

"This isn't how it ends." I looked back at the ship as it floated in isolation. "We need to get back to Mor Ardain and inform the Special Inquisitor."

"Well, we're already in the right place." Nia pointed to the passenger ships along the main dock. "I doubt any of them will go to Mor Ardain though."

"They should have a route to Prudentia," I hoped. "We'll go home first so we can replenish our necessities and then go to Mor Ardain."

"Hang on. Can we afford to travel?" She looked concerned.

"I still have our lunch money for the Indol visit that we never made," I determined as I checked my belt.

"We haven't had a proper meal in a long time." She spied a seafood vendor wheeling by the docks.

"We can't both dine and ride with what we have left." I sighed and rubbed my empty stomach. "Right now, a ship ride is more important."

"Let's not dawdle, then." She grabbed my hand and hurried us over to the passenger ships.

"Excuse me, ma'am…" I approached the first ship in line. "Does this ship have routes to Prudentia?" The conductress of the first ship took one look at me and shook her head.

"Excuse me, sir…" I tried the next one. "Does this ship go to Prudentia?" The conductor dropped his newspaper and squinted at us.

"No, and I wouldn't ferry you regardless!" We were taken aback by his incivility.

"And why's that?" Nia confronted him.

"Get off my pier or else I'll have the coppers on ya!" The brusque conductor noisily flicked his newspaper and returned to his reading. Nia quickly stepped away. The last thing we needed was to be thrown back into the prisoner ship mere minutes after getting released from it.

"Come on. Let's try another one." I directed us to the third ship which was already packed with passengers. "Excuse me, sir…" Before I could ask about the routes, the conductor of this ship slammed the door and stood in front of it like he was a guard. The passengers also shunned us with an onslaught of unpleasant gestures.

"Piss off!" This conductor was as bad as the last one. "We don't serve you mongrel Ardainians!"

"But we're not Ardainian!" I argued back, but to no avail. The ship started to leave without us.

"You were seen with them," he rebuked. "That makes you one of them! No ships will serve you! Now clear out of here!" I retreated to Nia in yet another setback. We spent the next hour awaiting new ships and requesting service, but the conductors kept denying us. Cruelly, they even prevented us from boarding a Prudentian ship when one showed up. Fearing that our constant presence would draw undesired attention of the Urayan soldiers nearby, we finally left the dock in search of another way out.

~ SEVIND PALACE PLAZA ~

We retraced our steps up to the high-top plaza and seated ourselves by the fountains. I'd forgotten how much Nia liked them. Normal life on Prudentia seemed like a distant memory now. I longed for my home in Hagan Village, with its humble people, cozy restaurants, and Nia's favorite fountain in the village square. I couldn't bring myself to admit that she was probably right that we'd be late for our anniversary. It seemed like everybody in Uraya was working against us. (How will we ever get home if we can't board any passenger ships?)

"Hey…" Nia bumped her shoulder against mine. "How're ya holdin' up?" The expression on my face summed it up for her. We were tired, hungry, and desperate to go home. It was barely past noon and already I was exhausted. As I leaned on my partner, I noticed a bunch of people walking across the plaza from the dock.

"Nia, look!" I perked up instantly. "Mercenaries!"

"Yeah…" she yawned, "what about 'em?"

"I've got an idea." Feeling hopeful, I hopped to my aching feet and pulled Nia with me. "Come on! Let's see if they'll help their fellow mercs!"

~ URAYA MERC BARRACKS ~

We followed the mercenaries down to their quarters. I tried to make myself appear more presentable, although my hair was a mess and my clothes were in shambles. I was baring more skin than I would've liked, but I had nothing else to wear at that point. (Who knows? Maybe they'll take pity on us.)

"Hello!" I accosted the mercs with the cheeriest smile that I could muster. "Are you guys still taking requests today?" There was a pause…

"Let me get the B-team captain," one of them responded and shuffled back inside. The others looked at Nia and I with varying countenances. A minute later, we were met by someone whom we hadn't seen in ages.

"What have we here?" It was GT-Han, with his fancily-dressed, electric Blade Gregorio. This formidable duo had lost to us in the Cloud Sea Championship last year. "Oho! So, it _was_ you two I saw earlier with those foul Ardainians!" This got awkward quickly.

"Han?" I had to blink to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.

"_Great Thunder Han_, to you!" He didn't appear like a typical Urayan. His hair was black and bowl-cut, and there were hardly any markings on the sides of his face. "I hear you have a request for us."

"Ahem… yes. My partner and I need a ride home, and nobody at the docks will let us board a ship," I explained. "Since we're mercenaries just like you, I was hoping we could appeal to…"

"Now let me get this straight," GT-Han interrupted. "First, you ruin my chance for immortality in front of thousands of spectators. Then, you join the enemy and frighten my tree-trimmers. And now you seek _my_ help?" (I don't like where this is going.)

"Listen! We get it. You don't want to be seen with us. Fine. Nia and I are willing to stoop to subterfuge." She looked at me anxiously as I spoke. "Stow us onto a ship to Prudentia and you can have all the gold in my pockets." I laid out my money on the ground.

"You're quite loaded for someone so destitute." GT-Han counted every coin carefully. "What makes you think we Viltsbine Mercs can be bought?"

"As I said, I'm a merc, like you," I reminded him. "I know that gold will turn you on like honey to a bee." He couldn't come up with anything to say to that, and soon I felt the tides turn in my favor.

As if to try to regain control of the negotiation, he sauntered over to me and inspected all of my scrapes and blemishes up close. Curiously, and uncomfortably, he lifted my torn shirt and ran his hand along my abdomen. Next, he approached Nia and traced his finger from her neck down to the top of her dress. She swiftly grabbed his hand and twisted his arm.

"Alright! Alright! Let go!" The shameless merc jerked out of her grasp. "So, here's the deal. I challenge you to a duel. If you beat Gregorio and I, then we'll help you. If we beat you two, then you join us for our ongoing tree-maintenance mission."

"Ongoing?" I repeated.

"Oh yes. Should take another week to complete." Whether or not his estimation was a lie, he knew that we were desperate to leave Uraya as soon as possible. Now he was twisting our arms, figuratively. Nia and I looked at each other. We had no other option.

"Deal." Hesitantly, I shook his hand.

"Right, now let us make some room over here." GT-Han ordered his men to clear the patio. "First driver to stay down for ten seconds loses!" The grin on his face showed how much he was enjoying our plight. As I reached for Nia's scimitar, I realized that I hadn't replaced my shield yet. (Guess we'll just have to be extra dodgy.)

"Rem!" Nia shouted behind me with her hands extended. "I'm… _still_ powerless!" The reaction on my face made GT-Han laugh apathetically.

"Too bad! Too late!" The heartless merc charged forward with his katana fully-powered by Gregorio's electricity. Such aggressiveness contradicted their reactive strategy from the championship. With no shield in hand, I tried to block with only the scimitar. Without Nia's powers, we were no match for them. GT-Han took one swipe which forced the scimitar into my forearm. The pain seared through my body and I fell backwards onto Nia. Normally with her power blanketing me, hits like that felt no worse than bumping into the edge of a table. But now, I was stunned on the ground.

"I'm so sorry!" Nia cradled me while everybody watched and snickered. "I… I forgot I'm still… damaged…"

"You and me, both… now," I grunted and tried to sit up.

"Hope your arm ain't broken," GT-Han said as he sheathed his weapon. "You'll need it to chop those saffronias for us, tomorrow! Come back bright and early!" He and the rest of the mercenaries went back inside like nothing ever happened.

"Curse those bastards," Nia swore under her breath as she wrapped her hands around my throbbing arm. "Ugh… I'm sorry. I can't heal you. I don't know… I don't know what else to do…"

"Help me up." I struggled to stand. "We were fools to try that. It's all my fault."

"Don't blame yourself," she hushed me. "Let's go. No point in stayin' here any longer."

~ COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ~

After composing myself, we headed back into town. People treated us like outcasts. Nearly every market refused us service, and it took us over an hour to find a doctor to patch me up. Food and treatment used all the gold we had left, but I figured it wasn't good for anything else anymore. With nothing left to do, Nia and I spent the rest of the afternoon on a balcony overlooking the main stairs.

The day was bad in every sense of the word. My crew remained incarcerated, the whole city shunned us, we ran out of money, my body was beaten, Nia's powers were still gone, and worst of all…

"Looks like we're going to miss being home for our anniversary, Remi." Nia said it like it was. "I'm sorry…"

"Stop apologizing. It's not your fault. It's mine." That was twice that I'd put myself down today. Perhaps I was finally starting to lose hope.

"At least we're still together. That's the most important thing." She rubbed my shoulders and nuzzled my neck. Night settled in and the streetlamps glowed like fireflies in the mist. Most of the people had gone home for the evening. One-by-one, the vendors put away their wares and closed their stalls.

"I can't believe we're about to spend our first anniversary as driver and Blade in a foreign city that hates us." I stared at the level below but focused on nothing in particular. Something caught Nia's attention, though.

"Hold that thought, hon'. Be right back." I watched her stroll down to the edge of the food court where a vendor was tossing out her unsold baked goods. After they started talking, they disappeared around the corner.

I sat on the bench and observed the night sky, only it wasn't actually the sky since this city was inside a Titan. Even though we were free, it still felt like we were under Urayan confinement. I took a moment to reflect on what had happened this week. What began as a simple treasure-hunt turned into a mission for the Ardainian Empire until we were ambushed by a masked Blade which led to the Urayan Titan swallowing us and now…

"I'm back!" Nia returned with something in hand, and she seemed rather chipper about it. "Here! I got this from a lady who let me decorate it!" It was a cupcake with frosting shaped like a heart. While not exactly artistic in merit, it was an adorable gesture of unwavering affection, and the emotions hit me like a ton of bricks. "Happy anniversary, Remi."

…and at last, I cried.


	21. Masters of Coercion

Chapter 21 "Masters of Coercion"

~ TORIKA ALLEY, of Fonsa Myma ~

The morning of our first anniversary as driver and Blade arrived, and Nia and I were nowhere close to home. We ended up sleeping in an alley after the night-guardsmen kept shooing us around the city. Sadly, the money that we could've spent on a stay at the inn was needed for food and medical care yesterday.

"Happy anniversary, Nia…" I murmured to my partner as she woke up. "Nothing like starting your special day by the sewer."

"Happy anniversary, Rem…" She sat up and leaned against me, still half-asleep. "What time is it?"

"Almost seven." To me, it seemed darker than normal for a sunrise, but then again, we were inside a Titan.

"Guess we'd better report in." She stood up and yawned. "He said 'bright and early,' after all."

"We'll go with them just for today. Maybe they'll provide us with food and shelter." I doubted my own words, but it was worth trying.

~ URAYA MERC BARRACKS ~

We arrived at the Viltsbine Mercs headquarters as their men began coming out of their dormitories. A lot of them were confused by our presence. Perhaps they weren't around when GT-Han made fools out of us yesterday. Soon, he too, showed up, along with his Blade Gregorio.

"Well, well, well! Look who it is!" He sauntered over, clearly ready to resume having his way with us. "I'm surprised that you two showed up."

"I'm no shirker. I keep my promises, no matter how much I despise them." I stared him down with contempt.

"You've made my day, and it's only morning, yet!" The cheeky merc did little to hide his zealousness. "Normally, I lead the afternoon group, but I simply cannot wait to get you two started!"

"Have you no discipline?" Nia disparaged him.

"Discipline?" GT-Han feigned compunction. "Can't a guy have a little fun?"

"Sure, but not at our expense. We're only here to fulfill a promise." This conversation was already giving me a headache.

"Fine then." He signaled for two of his men to fetch a crate. Inside were a bunch of tools for the mission, mostly saws.

"You want us to choose our tools?" I glanced at the contents but refrained from showing any curiosity.

"No, you two are going to carry the crate for us!" GT-Han laughed unabashedly while his men snickered like sniveling sidekicks.

"That's quite enough. We'll chop some branches for you, but nothing else." It was time to reassert myself. "Furthermore, if we're going to join your mercenaries, then we must be treated to the same courtesies owed to the rest of them. In short, _no pay, no way_." He seemed dumbfounded, but he had to have known that we weren't free labor.

"Hmph… very well." He finally gave in. "Let's get movin' already!"

~ FONSA MYMA PORT ~

Down at the dock, we all fit into one ship that was designated for merc-use. Interestingly, it didn't require a blunt conductor for passage.

~ MINNET TERRACE ~

The ship made several stops around the Titan's interior, dropping off a few of us each time. Nia and I were assigned to the terrace near where we'd camped with my crew previously. Equipped with our hatchets and saws, we began our share of the toil.

"Not quite the special day I had planned for us." I cut off a few branches and started a pile with them.

"You'll make something of it, I'm sure," Nia tried to cheer me up. "Anyway, how's your arm feelin'?"

"It's sore." I set my hatchet down and cautiously flexed my arm until it started to hurt. "There's no way that I'll last a week doing this."

"Thinkin' of skippin' out?" GT-Han found us, probably not by accident.

"I told you, I don't break promises," I growled at him. "Besides, where would we go? Your Titan's one giant cage."

"Yeah, and it's getting overgrown!" He retrieved my hatchet and handed it to me. "Start chopping the next one. I want to see you do it!" The more he talked, the less I wanted to listen. We trudged over to the thin part of the terrace where a saffronia partially blocked the path. The leaves were undeniably pretty. It seemed like a shame to cut it down. "Well? Hurry up!"

"Alright already!" I stood near a branch and raised my hatchet.

"No, not like that!" he interrupted. "Chop it at the base! I want the whole thing out of here!"

"Why don't _you_ get out of here?" Nia shot back.

"I'm not going anywhere 'til I see some results!" He crossed his arms and stood firm in place. Resentfully, I swung and hit the tree trunk with my hatchet. The collision aggravated my bruised forearm and I grunted in pain.

"Wait! Let me do it." Nia walked over to take my hatchet, but GT-Han grabbed her by the arm. She swiftly twirled around and threw him to the ground. "Stop touching me!"

"Alright! Alright! Lay off!" He got back to his feet quickly and looked around in embarrassment. "But I still want your driver to finish it!"

"I really shouldn't," I protested. "My arm is still hurting from yesterday."

"Do it if you want your stinkin' money!" GT-Han had me in a bind, and he was enjoying every agonizing bit of it. I tried to be careful by swinging my hatchet softly so I wouldn't hurt my arm further, but he noticed this and barked again. "C'mon! Harder! Swing it like you mean it!" I swung again, this time with more strength, and the pain increased. "Harder! You're barely making a dent!" I swung again, and it hurt more. "Keep at it!" It only got worse.

"Rem, stop! It's not worth it!" Nia was almost in a panic.

"It's… almost done…" Stubbornly, I swung one more time to cut through the trunk. As the tree tipped over backward, I fell to my knees and clutched my throbbing arm.

"That's enough… please…" Nia wrapped her arms around me and held me tenderly. "I hate seeing you like this." I leaned against her as she kissed my forehead. GT-Han let out an audible sigh.

"Okay, okay…" He rubbed the back of his neck and searched for words to say, but instead he turned around and walked away. We watched him disappear around the bend. (Can a guy like him feel remorse?)

"How bad is it?" Nia asked as she readjusted my bandage. "You really shouldn't have done it."

"I… just can't break promises." I looked up to her for solace.

"What promise?" She seemed disappointed in me. "He only mentioned that we had to tag along. He never got specific."

"I don't know, anymore, Nia. I haven't been thinking clearly lately. My mind's a mess. Everything's a mess. I just want to go home." Any confidence that I had yesterday was gone now. I sat back and observed the environment. Doubtless, this was the most beautiful Titan that I'd ever seen. And yet, as I'd put it acerbically before, it was indeed like one giant cage for us. After another minute's rest, I stood back up and picked up my hatchet. "Come on. Let's at least pretend like we're busy."

My arm was good enough for collection duties, so Nia and I helped clean up the scraps for the rest of the morning. We saw GT-Han a few more times, but he didn't say a word to us which was fine by me. Soon, their ship arrived to bring us back to Fonsa Myma.

~ URAYA MERC BARRACKS ~

The situation improved when we returned to the barracks. I received a modest sum of gold, and the mercs offered us food for the day. We spent most of the afternoon around them. It was interesting to see how differently they ran their operations compared to my own Solly Mercs back home. Surely by now, Chief Reynold was aware that we hadn't come back. I wondered if there was a search party for us. Nia and I were more than just simple mercenaries to them. Now that I had some money again, I decided to reach out to them by mailing a letter. (Maybe I can get them to sneak a ship into the Titan and…)

"Hey, you there," someone called from behind. I quickly flipped my unfinished letter upside-down and turned to see GT-Han at the door. "We've got a new mission for tomorrow."

"Bully for you." I was in no mood to talk. "Hope you have fun."

"You'll want to be on it. We're sending some stuff to Argentum." Suddenly he had my attention. "If you two went there as part of the export team, I suppose I wouldn't mind never seeing you again." Nia's look of surprise mirrored mine. We didn't need to be hinted twice.

"We'll do it." I tried to contain my excitement.

"Of course, by not coming back, you will be forfeiting your payout for the mission." He was right, but I didn't care. We were essentially being offered a free ticket out of here.

"I said we'll do it." I repeated, more seriously this time. He stared at me rigidly for a moment.

"Right, then. Same time tomorrow." And with that, he turned and left us alone to digest this sudden, golden opportunity.

"Rem," Nia whispered, "what if he's makin' it up, y'know, just to tease us?"

"Maybe we ought to ask around," I suggested. "If everyone's clueless, then he's probably lying." As it turned out, this was a weekly delivery for them. By sunset, some men began preparing products from the city for packaging. It was quite encouraging to see.

Since we weren't official Viltsbine Mercs, they didn't offer us a room in their dormitory. We had the necessary funds for a night's stay at the local inn, but like most of the markets yesterday, they refused us service. And so, we returned to the mercs' barracks and bunked on their patio. Despite the hard stone surface, we found it rather relaxing with the nearby waterfall coming from a fountain upstairs.

"Here's hoping we actually get to leave tomorrow, Nia." I kissed her goodnight.

"Goodnight." She snuggled close and drifted off to sleep. I stayed awake for another hour or two. My mind was restless. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

I closed my eyes and listened to the soothing waterfall…

When I awoke next morning, I found Nia leaning against the wall of the patio, entranced by the rushing water. My body was completely sore from two straight nights of sleeping on stone. Nia noticed my stiff movements and walked over to me. Our eyes met as she sat on her heels and smiled. (When was the last time I saw a genuine, happy smile?)

"Mornin', there." She playfully squeezed my cold knee with her warm hand.

"You're positively glowing this morning." I reached out for her hand. "Is your power coming back or something?"

"No, but we get to leave today. That's worth a cheer, yeah?" She was right, but I was wary.

"What if Han changes his mind?" My cynicism was as fervent as ever.

"If he does, then I'll break both of his arms," she vowed devilishly. "Speaking of which, how's yours?"

"Still sore as expected." I was lucky that it wasn't my dominant arm.

"You be careful today, okay? Remember, I can't heal you…" She stared at her empty palms like she'd done many times before.

"Don't feel bad about it," I assuaged. "When this is all over, we'll figure out what's going on with your powers. What's a Blade without her power, anyhow?"

"A human… that's what." She dropped her hands and looked at me empathetically. "No offense."

"None taken." I stood up and stretched. "Anyway, what do they have in the kitchen?"

"Just some leftover stale bread." She made a face of disgust.

"It's better than nothing." I wasn't about to turn down free food.

Another hour passed before the GT-Han showed up to put together an exporter team bound for Argentum. He called forth a few men and apprised them of the situation regarding Nia and me, specifically that they were to return to base without us. After an hour of loading the ship with the goods, we boarded ourselves, again without any hassle from the conductors. (Who knew that boarding as a merc would be the key to bypass?)

~ GOLDMOUTH RETURN PORT, of Argentum ~

We arrived at Argentum by noon, and the mercantile nation was bustling like usual. It almost felt like home after spending the last four days in Uraya. I tried to act stoic, but deep inside I was feeling a great amount of relief.

"All fish products go upstairs to the canteen, while the grains go to the confectionery and restaurant in the corner," GT-Han gave out the orders. "You all handle those while I deal with central exchange. No dawdling! Our ship back home leaves in two hours!" He looked straight at Nia and I with his hardened brows low over his eyes. I hated him for the harassment and humiliation, but the decent human in me wanted to thank him for giving us this opportunity to escape. Perhaps he was a decent human being after all. We nodded at each other and went our separate ways.

~ ARGENTUM BAZAAR ~

"Suzu thank friends for Urayan rice! Goes well in noodle soup, yes?" The Nopon restaurant owner gladly accepted the packaged grain and passed it to the chef. "Line is short. Will friends stay for a tasty meal?"

"No, no thanks! We're pressed for time. Maybe next time, though!" Truthfully, I wanted to stay for lunch, but we needed the last of our available funds for something more important.

~ GOLDMOUTH RETURN PORT ~

"Remi, over there!" Nia pointed to a Prudentian ship docked on the far end. "We can go home now!"

"Not quite." I led her to an Ardainian ship nearby. "As much as I really, _really_ want to go straight home, we have to inform the Special Inquisitor first. I'm sure he'll arrange a free ride for us."

"You're expecting someone else to be convenient for us?" She sounded a lot like me.

"I'm still responsible for my crew," I insisted as I paid for our air fare. "The guilt won't go away until they're free. If I can't negotiate for their release, then the Special Inquisitor can." When we hopped aboard, the other passengers noticed us immediately. I was an awful, unkempt, odorous mess, and I couldn't be more embarrassed.

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT ~

It took us several hours to reach Mor Ardain. The sun was setting, and the crowds were thinning as we roved through the main street.

~ NHARIL CENTRAL PLAZA ~

The entrance of the royal palace was in sight, and I was practically sprinting towards it. The soldiers on-guard wasted no time in confronting us.

"And where do you think you're going?" One soldier patted his palm with his rifle threateningly.

"We need to speak to the Special Inquisitor. It's rather urgent!" I didn't realize until I spoke that I was out of breath.

"The Special Inquisitor has no time for stray cats like you, now beat it!" He readied his rifle, and for a moment, I thought he was actually going to shoot.

"Hang on! Don't you recognize us?" Nia interjected. "We're Nia and Remi! We saved the Special Inquisitor and escorted your cargo to Indol!" The soldier made no response.

"Your brothers-in-arms are in danger," I tried a different angle. "Please get the Special Inquisitor, or Brighid! They know who we are." The soldier appeared to hesitate, although it was hard to tell with his face mask on. A moment later, he summoned the other soldier on-guard and told him to inform the company.

"If the Special Inquisitor doesn't recognize you, then we'll throw you in a cold cell!" The irony of his threat stung more than the threat itself. We waited awkwardly for ten minutes. When the other soldier returned, alone, they spoke privately before readdressing us. "You may proceed to the booth on the left. The Special Inquisitor will meet you there." They both went back to their posts and let us through.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

"Driver Remi! Blade Nia! You're still alive!" Special Inquisitor Càidh was surprised but relieved to see us. "It's a miracle!"

"Yes indeed." Brighid wasn't far behind. "We had assumed the worst."

"What on Alrest happened?" He was anxious for the details.

"We were ambushed at sea," I began the long, arduous tale. "We were ambushed by a rogue, masked Blade. No pirates… no monsters… just one Blade!" I was sounding fanatical at that point, so I took a deep breath before continuing. "He subdued us and severed our ship from the carrier Titan. We landed in the Cloud Sea and drifted for a day before…" I paused again, anticipating a negative reaction from our hosts. "We were swallowed by Uraya… the Titan itself."

"Uraya…" Special Inquisitor Càidh muttered quietly. "How many casualties?"

"None," Nia answered for me. "I kept the crew alive." At first, I thought she was boasting, but she looked as serious as everyone else.

"And… where are they now?" He seemed afraid to ask.

"They're in the Urayan capital, in a prison ship," I regretted to say. "We were overtaken by their army, but they let Nia and I go."

"I see." He took it better than I thought, although his pacing back-and-forth made me uneasy. "What about the core crystals?"

"The crew resonated with a handful of them for reinforcements. The Urayans took away the rest that we carried from the shipwreck." Each question made me more tense.

"Now, about this… 'masked Blade'… Did he give any indication of his origin?" he asked next. "I wouldn't put it past the Urayans to send a hitman to take down our ships."

"Would they really send _one_ Blade, though?" Brighid interposed before I could answer. "And for that matter, how could one Blade possibly take down an entire ship?"

"Through inconceivable strength, that's how. He slowly walked through the cabin and sliced through us like we were nothing. He looked like a silver samurai with long white hair, and he used some kind of ancient sword." My explanation started to sound like an excuse. "I'm sorry I let you down."

"A silver samurai with long white hair, you say?" Brighid ignored my apology.

"Brighid?" The Special Inquisitor turned to his Blade. "Something on your mind?"

"This Blade sounds familiar." She rubbed her chin like a detective.

"Oh?" His curiosity was aroused. "Have we fought one like that before?"

"No, not you and I specifically," she dispelled, "but my former self may have encountered such a Blade. In a past life, I had an ally named Jin who fits the description, according to my diary."

"You… keep a diary?" Nia asked with a tinge of doubt.

"Yes, and it is very important to me." Brighid appeared offended. "How else can a Blade retain memories from one life to the next?"

"Ahem… I'm sorry I've led us off-topic," Special Inquisitor Càidh cut in. "We need to focus on the crew that the Urayans have imprisoned."

"The Urayans were unbelievably vindictive," I warned, although surely, he already knew. "I tried to barter with the warden to let the others out, but he wouldn't budge. They intend to keep both the crew and the cores."

"At ease, Driver Remi. Brighid and I will handle it from here." He motioned for the soldier who was minding the booth to join us. "We the Empire of Mor Ardain cannot thank you two enough. Your remuneration has been waiting with your chief. We'll send you back home at once so you can collect it and recuperate." They shook our hands, ordered the soldier to take us to the royal dock, and started to walk away. (This meeting feels too brief…)

"Wait!" I wasn't satisfied yet. Our hosts seemed reluctant to come back. "Just what exactly are you planning? You're not going to start a war, are you? I already feel responsible for what's happened so far."

"We will try to avoid war as best as we can, but we must prepare for anything. I intend to negotiate for the release of our people, whether it's through money or… _other means_." The Special Inquisitor acted very suspiciously on that note. "No matter how it's handled, I'm sure you will hear of it in the news. For now, please go home and do not interfere."

I didn't like the sound of it, but it was in their hands now. The soldier escorted us onto a private ship and soon we were _finally_ homeward bound.

~ SOLLERTA ~

By the time we arrived in Prudentia that night, everything in town was closed, including the Solly Mercs camp. I snuck into the admin canopy to write a note to inform everyone that Nia and I had returned but needed a day to rest. I wasn't bothered to wait a little longer to receive the largest payout of my life.

~ HAGAN ~

No armu-taxis operated this late, so we slogged up the road to our home village of Hagan. The familiar sights, sounds, and smells had me on the verge of crying again. And there, at the top of the hill, sat my humble little house. I took one step inside and collapsed in a flood of tears.

"Home sweet home, hon'." Nia got emotional herself as she locked up and helped me into the shower to cleanse my mind, body, and soul of all that I'd endured from the grueling adventure.

Never before had it felt this good to be in my own bed again. I was asleep in no time at all…

I slept through the morning and nearly past noon. Aside from a quick trip to the village market, we spent the whole day at home. Periodically, I turned on the radio to catch any news on the situation from which we'd been discharged. And then at night, we heard Special Inquisitor Càidh broadcast a speech worldwide.

"_Good evening._ _I am Douglas Càidh, Special Inquisitor for the Empire of Mor Ardain, speaking on behalf of Emperor Nigel and his Royal Army. Tonight, I shall address the rumors of foul play following last year's Cloud Sea Championship. As we're all aware, the winning nation of Regideria was attacked and has since receded all forms of communication. After proper investigation, Mor Ardain claims sole responsibility for the horrid act and wishes to repair relations with King Dagas of Regideria. Furthermore, we absolve Uraya of any involvement in exchange for their full cooperation in the release of several Ardainian individuals who were found trespassing on their land last weekend. Mor Ardain holds its people to a high standard and will reprimand those who ran afoul with both Regideria and Uraya. I am personally sorry for all the trouble that we have caused. That is all for now. Thank you._" His speech left us stunned.

"Those Urayans are masters of coercion. They twisted his arm the same way Han twisted ours." I sighed and turned off the radio. "But at least there's no war."

"You must be relieved of that." Nia scooted over for me to join her on the couch.

"I'm glad there's no war. I'm glad the crew has been released. I'm glad we're still alive." I leaned back and closed my eyes. "It hasn't quite sunken in that we're actually back home."

"Sure, but since we _are_ back home," Nia changed the subject, "shall we… y'know, _celebrate_ our anniversary?"

"Tomorrow night," I'd already decided. "First, we need to say hi to everyone at camp, and then I want us to visit Dosilla. That was the original plan."

"Tomorrow night, huh?" She licked my neck impatiently. "I can't wait."


	22. Healing at Home

Chapter 22 "Healing at Home"

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Gad…" Chief Reynold was speechless after Nia and I told him about our adventure. He looked like he was going to fall out of his chair.

"Yeah. It's not something I'd wish on anybody." I sat in the waiting area while Nia meandered around. "I know I said this before, but that was the most scared I'd ever been in my life… when Uraya swallowed us."

"I… would imagine so, yes!" he stuttered in agreement. "You're so young, yet you've experienced enough for a hundred lives!"

"We knew that civilization existed inside Uraya, but… I mean… getting eaten alive is… not an easy thing to comprehend." I shivered just thinking about it.

"After what you went through, I wouldn't have blamed you for staying home longer." The chief eyed us with pity.

"I'm bound to have nightmares again," I bemoaned. "It's going to take some time to get reacclimated to normal life."

"Well, it's a good thing you've got the therapy center at your disposal," he reminded me. "And I'm sure they can help you out, too, Nia."

"Huh? Oh, I don't usually get nightmares," she claimed unconfidently.

"I was talking about your loss of power," he clarified. "It's not just for humans. Our doctors specialize in Blades as well."

"You think they can resurrect my power?" She looked skeptical.

"No, but they can put you on the right track. I'm sure it's just a disruption in the flow of ether." His confidence was comforting.

"You sound like you speak from experience, chief," I presumed. "Have you ever seen a Blade lose power before?"

"Yeah, some Blade overdid it in a Cloud Sea Championship many years ago." His eyes lit up as he remembered something else. "Oh! Speaking of which, did you hear the Ardainian bloke talk about last year's championship on the radio?"

"The Special Inquisitor? Yes, we heard." I knew that we'd eventually talk about the big _confession_ that was broadcasted last night.

"What on Alrest is Mor Ardain up to? Why would they cover-up for Uraya of all nations? Everybody knows that they _both_ attacked Regideria after the championship." The chief leaned on his desk and rubbed his forehead. "Politics haven't ever been this confusing before."

"You heard him. It was in exchange for the release of my crew," I reiterated. "Earlier, they were gossiping about a cover-up. I'm just surprised that the Special Inquisitor used it as a bartering tool."

"Wait a minute…" The chief waved his hands around. "Those 'trespassers' he was talkin' about were _you_ and your lot?"

"Yes, although I don't think it was fair to call it trespassing. It was probably another part of the deal that the Urayans squeezed in." The more I thought about it, the more I realized what a big political ballyhoo it turned out to be, and we were right in the middle of it. "They were such wretched people. We'll never go back to Uraya." (Something tells me we'll be back there in the future… somehow…)

"If you ask me, I think you ought to avoid Mor Ardain, too," the chief added. "Seems like you're on death's trail every time you help them out."

"They lured me with money," I confessed. "I won't make that mistake again."

"I'll say. You've made enough to retire already." Chief Reynold pushed his desk aside to reveal a metal safe buried in the ground. He opened it and pulled out two briefcases full of gold and handed them to me. "Right… here's what they left for ya." My jaw dropped.

"Whoa…" Nia started paying attention again.

"Okay then…" I took out a few gold coins and handed them to the chief. "First thing I'm going to do is request for a safe like yours to be installed in my house." He laughed as he accepted the early payment. "There's no way that I'm leaving all this gold unprotected."

"Good idea." He opened to a fresh page in the logbook. "I reckon it'll take a few days to get one from the locksmith."

"That's fine. We have some things to do today, anyway." I looked at Nia who returned a mischievous smile. "We still haven't celebrated our anniversary yet, and I'd like to start by revisiting Dosilla where we first met. The armu-taxis run service there, right?"

"Yeah, but Dosilla isn't the same anymore," he warned. "Renovations commenced a few days ago."

"That's not surprising." I slumped my shoulders in regret. "I knew we shouldn't have left Prudentia last week."

"Queen Sophia officially announced the return of the Blade Pageant," the chief informed us. "It's scheduled for early next year, so they're hustling over there."

"Really? Maybe they haven't touched the Kolier Manor yet," I hoped. "That's where I want to go, specifically."

"You sure you've got the energy for it?" He closed the logbook and put the coins away. "Like I said, I'm surprised that you're here today. You should still be home in bed."

"Oh, we will be," Nia chimed in.

"Ahem… okay, I think we ought to head out to Dosilla now," I steered us away from an awkward turn. "I want to return before sunset."

"Please don't strain yourself," Chief Reynold implored. "You two are important to the Solly Mercs."

"Aw, thanks." I felt a little embarrassed, although it was nice to be appreciated. "We'll see you in a few days." I grabbed one briefcase and handed the other to Nia. As we left camp, we watched Chief Reynold join the gathering of mercs to hand out the morning assignments. (They'd probably riot if they knew how much gold we're carrying.)

~ THERAPY CENTER ~

After dropping off the briefcases at home, Nia and I rode an armu-taxi through the mountains to the 'other side' of the Titan. Our first stop was the therapy center where I set up appointments. Fortunately, Dr. Tenner, their Blade Specialist, was readily available, so we told her about Nia's loss of power.

"So, what happens when you try to draw ether? Do you feel anything?" The doctor studied Nia's ether markings and took notes.

"Nothing. I feel empty, inside and out," Nia described as she held her hands outward. "They don't even glow anymore."

"And you say you were over the Cloud Sea when you exhausted your power?" the doctor asked next. Nia nodded. "I see. What's likely happened is a disruption in the flow of ether." (That's exactly what the chief said, word-for-word.)

"What does that mean?" Nia gave the doc a quizzical look. "Did I… break something important?"

"No, not to worry," Dr. Tenner reassured as she suppressed a chuckle. "It means that you reached your limit when you had no source of ether. All Blades need a constant flow of ether from full-size Titans in order to use their powers, or else they'll run empty and suffer extreme fatigue."

"Yes, I was… definitely used up," Nia recalled from our struggle at sea. "But shouldn't I have recovered by now? It happened one week ago."

"That depends on how long you've been on a Titan since your incident," the doctor explained. "Any Titan will do, as long as it's a big one like ours."

"We were _inside_ Uraya," Nia pointed out. "Can't be any closer to a Titan than that."

"You're probably not far from reaching equilibrium again. There's nothing that I can prescribe for this. The recovery happens naturally." Dr. Tenner clicked her pen and set down her notes. "It may take longer for healer Blades. My field of study hasn't had many cases like this."

"Are healers rarer than most Blades?" I asked, thinking back to when my Ardainian crew resonated with several core crystals in an exhaustive search for an extra healer Blade.

"A lot of Blades can heal, but rarely are there Blades whose main purpose is to heal." The doctor turned her attention back to Nia. "It's truly extraordinary what you were able to do out there."

"See, Nia? I told you that you're special!" I gave her a playful push.

"Oh?" she acted coyly. "And when have you said that?"

"Every time I…" I stopped short of saying something romantic with the doctor still in the room. "Ahem… I've said it a lot."

"There _is_ something I wish to advocate," Dr. Tenner added. "It's not a proven theory, but I've heard that a strong bond between driver and Blade speeds up any sort of recovery process, whether it's a driver's injury or in your case, a Blade's loss of power." Regardless of evidence, it made sense to us.

"Anyway, thanks for taking time out of your day to help us," I shook the doc's hand.

"Yeah, thanks." Nia did the same. "A little peace of mind goes a long way."

"No problem. You two take it easy." Dr. Tenner opened the door and let us out.

"Rem…" Nia tugged at my shirt. "Before we go, there's something that I want to see." We waved to the rest of the staff in the lobby before she led me outside through the back way.

In no time at all, Nia was over by her favorite lake. A couple of harmless flamii birds were situated nearby and didn't mind her presence. This was a picturesque moment that I'd witnessed before. She stood by the water gracefully like a professional model. I almost didn't want to join her and risk ruining her moment alone. Eventually, she noticed my absence and glanced back at me.

"It's so peaceful out here. No wonder they use it for therapy." She breathed in deeply and stretched her arms out as if she were beckoning the wind to whisk her away. "What took you so long? I was waitin' for you to come and…"

"And… what?" I got no answer. Instead, she grabbed me by the hand and pulled us away from the lake.

"C'mon, let's get this trip over with so we can go back home." She noticed the perplexity on my face. "Sorry. I know it's important to you. I'm just…"

"Moody?" I guessed, callously. By now, we'd returned to the main road where another armu-taxi was stationed.

"Sure. We'll go with that." She knew that I was paraphrasing for her.

"Is everything alright? I would've figured that Dr. Tenner's prognosis would make you happy." I started to feel a little concerned.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I guess being away from home bothered me more than I thought. I just need to feel good about everything again."

"I think you said it best, earlier. Healing begins with a little peace of mind." I called the armu-taxi over and soon we were back on our way to Dosilla.

~ FROUSER'S BRIDGE ~

The armu-taxi dropped us off at the bridge formerly occupied by Frouser the troll who was nowhere to be found. The bridge itself wasn't the same as we remembered it. In fact, it appeared to have been replaced completely. (If they've changed the bridge, then I wonder what they've done inside the city itself?)

~ DOSILLA, old aristocratic city under reconstruction ~

I was shocked to find the whole city in chaos. Men were on both sides of the river, taking down or reinforcing all of the old structures.

"The queen's really serious about reviving this place." There were so many projects happening simultaneously that I started to question if this was a good use of government funds.

"Rem, look!" Nia pointed up towards the country club. The front wall had been knocked down while a new stage was being installed inside. All of the old champion banners bearing the names of past pageant winners were gone.

"And I see that the queen's really serious about bringing back the Blade Pageant as well. They're building that stage out of musclewood." I felt Nia's eyes on me immediately. "What? I happen to know that it's a very rare and valuable wood found only on Gormott."

"Right…" she played along. "I'll give you ten seconds before I call you a nerd again."

"I read a lot of books before I met you," I tried to defend myself. "What's wrong with knowing different things?"

"Fair enough," she backed off. "Since we're here, we may as well check it out…"

"Hey, you two!" One of the men stopped us. "No civilians are allowed here 'til the city's complete. Please leave and stay out of our way!" I was about to argue, but I decided to let it go.

"It's fine." I started to walk away. "We'll be back for the pageant, anyway."

"We will?" Nia thought to herself for a moment. "Oh… don't tell me you want _me_ to enter the pageant…"

"Why not? You're a past champion," I lobbied, but she wasn't having it. "If your beauty was good enough to win back then, then it's good enough to win again."

"My past self can have all the glory she deserves, but right _now_ I don't like the idea of a thousand people judging me for my looks." She crossed her arms and leaned forward like she was embarrassed to be seen.

"The Nia I know doesn't care what people think of her," I reminded her.

"The Nia… you know?" she repeated mysteriously. "Rem, sometimes I think you care too much about me."

"What do you mean by that?" I was genuinely confused.

"You care about where I should be, how I should act, or feel…" She paused to think of more things to list.

"If I ever told you to feel a certain way, then I'm sorry." Truthfully, I couldn't recall any instance of that. "As for caring about where you should be, I thought we already agreed with the Echells that you'll return to them if I die with no family of my own."

"We did agree to that," she admitted, "but sometimes I feel like you don't want to have a child in order for that to happen."

"Now who's caring too much?" I retorted. "Also, assuming I make it into old age, you'll probably be passed down two generations, not one. Neither of us care to plan _that_ far ahead."

"Alright, I'll make a compromise with you," she offered. "We'll enter the pageant, but just this once."

"It's a deal." By now, we'd begun walking upstream towards my final destination on this trip. "Come on, let's see if the old Kolier Manor is still standing."

When we reached the edge of the city, we found the old building intact, but the whole property was fenced off. From what we saw through the chain-links, men had gutted the place in preparation for total restoration.

"Imagine if I hadn't found you," I said as I stared at piles of rubble from inside. "Your core might've been discovered by someone else."

"Maybe…" She covered her mouth as the wind kicked up dust from the construction site. "It'd be better than getting buried in that rubbish."

"Can you tell if a core crystal's in there?" I wondered. "Akebono, the common Blade who helped me, said that he sensed you before I started digging."

"Did he, really?" She looked at me in fascination. "If there are any other cores, then I'm not sensing them. It's easier to track Blades than cores."

"I learn something new every day," I said as I turned to leave. "Anyway, if this is as close as we'll get, then let's go home."

"I'm sorry, Rem," she sympathized. "I know you really wanted to see that ballroom again."

"It's too bad," although I wasn't super disappointed. "We'll probably be able to see it later. There's no way that they'd want to get rid of it!"

"Sure…" she humored me. "You keep on hopin'." With one final glance around, we left Dosilla and rode an armu-taxi all the way back to Hagan Village.

~ HAGAN ~

Our day's journey ended with a romantic dinner by candlelight at our favorite restaurant. Afterwards, we sat near her favorite fountain in the village square and let the evening hours pass by. The gentle splashing of water seemed to wash all our cares away. At one point, she held her hand next to my arm before pulling away to study her palm. Although I didn't feel anything, I got the impression that she did.

Back home, Nia prepared tea while I cleaned up for the night. I stepped out of the bathroom and into the closet where I pulled out a large suitcase which served as a crude bank for all the gold that we'd accumulated. I dug around and retrieved the small jar that I'd bought from Leftheria. Before pushing the suitcase back, I looked at the floor and decided to have the new safe installed there. The Solly Mercs were due to arrive for the task in a few days. In the meantime…

"Hey, Nia." I entered the living room with the jar behind my back. "Have a seat. I want to show you something."

"Oh?" She set down her cup of tea and giddily hopped over to the couch. "What've you got?"

"Just a little something for you, for our anniversary as driver and Blade." I placed the jar on the table. "Check it out."

"Is… that the jar you got from…" She became distracted by its contents. Layers of sand and dirt filled half of the jar. Planted in the top layer was a sprig of saffronia. It no longer glowed like the tree from which it was cut, but it remained beautiful, nonetheless.

"Allow me to get poetic for a moment," I prepared to explain. "There are several layers of soil in there, each from every Titan that we've visited in the past two months. Obviously, you know where the sprig came from." Nia nodded curiously. "We've been through a lot in our first year together. I've endured more than my share of hardships, but none of it matters when I'm with you. This represents all the corners of Alrest that I'd walk… just to see you again, and again, and again." She leaned forward to get a closer view, then she looked back up and smirked. (Is she about to laugh at me?)

"This is so… corny," she responded uninhibitedly, "but it's _so_ you, and I like it."

"I'm glad." I sat down next to her and admired my little science project. "Originally, I planned to use a normal flower, but the saffronia…"

"That's enough talking," she interrupted with a finger to my lips before she pulled me in for a kiss on hers. It felt like it lasted forever.

"Happy belated anniversary, Nia." I was quite satisfied with her reaction.

"Better late than never." She leaned against me with a tired sigh.

"Yeah…" I began to rub her shoulders which elicited a purr from her. "I'm sorry I made a big deal about it when we were stuck in Uraya."

"It's understandable, but speaking of Uraya…" She licked my cheek like a cat. "How 'bout another massage? We _are_ home, after all."

"Indeed, although I know what you _really_ want." I couldn't deny that I wanted it as well. "You go on ahead. I'll be right in." I took the jar and found a spot for it in the bookshelf. By the time I walked into the bedroom, she'd already disrobed and seated herself on the edge of the bed with the blankets thrown off. Seeing her like that made my mouth dry, even though this was nothing new between us.

"Ready when you are." Nia looked at me expectantly.

"Thanks for waiting." I sat behind her and swept her hair away. "My conscience wouldn't let me enjoy this until now."

"We wouldn't have had privacy during our travels, anyway." She glanced back and smiled. "I need to be in a happy place."

"And I know just the place." I returned my hands to her shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Imagine you're still at that beach in Leftheria, where you sat on the sand with your knees up and arms around your legs." She mimicked the position as I described it. "The cloud tide started to come and brush against you."

"It felt nice," she recalled fondly.

"I bet." I finished with her shoulders and started on her back. "Now imagine that it's water instead of clouds." She moaned ever so softly. "Let the water come in." I applied more pressure as she dropped her arms to her sides. The heat was turning up, and we'd only just begun. I continued to massage her for a few more minutes until she shrugged me off.

"You really _can_ get poetic, y'know?" She turned around and got on her hands and knees. Her excitement was palpable. I was sure of it as I saw it slowly drip down her thigh. She pushed me back onto the bed and helped me remove my nightclothes. Until this point, I hadn't realized how ready I was, myself. She went down to observe me closely before she returned the favor directly.

"Nia…" My voice was shaky. "I think you'd better come up. I'm already close."

"Yeah…" She slid up to kiss me, and I cared not for where her lips had just been. Once we were together, the incredible ride began, but it wouldn't last long. She thrust only a few times before I lost it. The feeling was so rapid and intense that I might've blacked out, but I wasn't sure. When I came to my senses, I felt her shuddering on top of me as she was finishing hers. A minute later, she opened her eyes and looked straight into mine. "Well… is that all you've got?"

"Hold on…" Clumsily, I rolled us over. Before reengaging, I gazed down to appreciate every curve of her body, and she did the same to me. I rubbed her tummy and watched her chest rise with every breath. "Ready?" She responded by reaching up and pulling me back in. It took a moment for the feeling to return in full, but soon we were at it again. Despite being on top this time, I felt like she was still in control with the way her eyes intoxicated me in a look of desire. As the next one was building inside, I felt another tingle on my back where her hands were holding on. The room glowed in a dim blue light, and I stopped moving when I realized what it was.

"Rem?" she whimpered. "Wh… why'd you stop?"

"Sorry…" Before I could explain, she clamped her legs and dug her heels into me. The grand finale had begun, and there was no stopping it.

We lost track of time. The glow diminished. I waited for both of us to catch our breaths, but I couldn't think of anything to say. No words could describe how good I felt. I assumed she felt the same. With the celebration complete, I pulled a blanket over us and kissed her goodnight.

It was a night to remember, for sure.

When I awoke the next morning, she was still beside me, looking positively radiant.

"Mornin', Rem." She gave me a smile that could only mean good news. "My power's back."

"I know." I noticed that the scratches on my arm were gone. "Thanks."

"My pleasure." She sat up and let her hair fall over me. "The doc was right. Being with you was all I needed."

"Healing at home was all _we_ needed," I harmonized, "both mentally and physically." The sun was up, the temperature was just right, and I was more than ready to live a normal life again.

It took us a week to get back into routine. Our missions with the Solly Mercs resumed, and we made sure to keep them local, too. Every so often, we'd see an ad for the Blade Pageant. With the queen's revival plans already in motion, a new era for our Titan was imminent.


	23. Grand Performance

Chapter 23 "Grand Performance"

~ SOLLERTA ~ [Eight months later, now in the year 3965]

"_Come one, come all, to the Grand Beauty Blade Gala of Dosilla City! Join us for the return of an old tradition as we marvel at the best of Alrest! Be the pride of Prudentia as the most beautiful Blade of all! Registration is now open at the Sollerta Chamber of Commerce. Don't wait! The Beauty Blade Gala is only a month away!_" The advertisements for the beauty pageant were all over the place.

"Everybody ought to know about it by now. I guess we'd better register before they run out of space." I turned to Nia who crossed her arms and groaned. "Hey, you promised to enter with me for just this one time, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah…" she admitted sourly. "We'll probably end up winning, anyway."

"Yeah! That's… uh, the right attitude!" I was looking forward to this event which was going to christen the revival of Dosilla City, as well as the 'other side' of Prudentia. In fact, with new villages being built and populated over there, there wasn't any need to call it the 'other side' anymore. Queen Sophia hoped to bring over many refugees from Indol to fill those new villages.

It'd been eight months since Nia and I celebrated our first anniversary as driver and Blade, and a lot of progress had been made on our Titan during that time. Now that we were one month into the new year, it was time to prepare for the changes. Tourism had already increased, and immigration was expected to do the same.

As for today's agenda, we needed to register for the pageant. When we entered the Chamber of Commerce, we found a long line of drivers and Blades ahead.

"You're right. Everybody knows about it." Nia checked them out while I got in line for us. "All the Blades are female, too."

"That's not surprising." Indeed, all of the Blades present looked like professional models to me. "Beauty pageants generally favor the female body."

"You mean they generally favor the male gaze on the female body," she corrected me, sardonically. "The judges are probably all filthy, dirty-minded men."

"Shhh… they might be here," I cautioned her. "We certainly won't win if they hear you badmouthing them."

"Ha!" She clearly wasn't concerned. "You think they're here, now?"

"Why not? All these Blades in a row are like a preview." As I spoke, several more pairs of drivers and Blades filed in behind us.

"Good afternoon," the lady registrar greeted as we finally made it to the front of the line. "Entry fee is two thousand gold. Please write down your names here. Blade's on the left, driver's on the right."

"Very well." As I wrote our names, I skimmed over the list, but none of the other names were familiar.

"Okay, so we've got Nia, and… Remi," the registrar read us off. "Oh! It's Remi and Nia! I remember you two from the Cloud Sea Championship!"

"Ah, yes… ahem, that's us." I exchanged awkward smiles with her. (Let's not make a scene out of this, please…)

"Fantastic! Here, you'll want to read this." She handed us a pamphlet containing rules and recommendations. "Arrive at the Dosilla Country Club by the time and date printed there, and good luck in the pageant!"

"Thank you very much!" I noticed everybody near the front of the line were watching us as we left.

"They remember us, Rem," Nia spoke quietly.

"Yeah… rather nice of them." The championship was almost two years ago, so I didn't expect anybody to remember. Soon, we were back outside in the busy streets of Sollerta. A cool winter's wind blew, and Nia shivered instantly.

"Alright then, I'd say we're done here." As she walked away, I watched a man from the chamber of commerce post a sign on the door which read "_Pageant registration now full. We apologize for the inconvenience_." (Whew! We barely made it.)

~ HAGAN ~

"It seems like a typical beauty contest." I read through the pamphlet as soon as we returned home. The rules weren't as complicated as I'd thought.

"Oh? You've seen one before?" She flipped through one page before she lost interest.

"No, but I've read about them. You walk on the stage and strike a few poses… and I'll be right there with you." I stood back and practiced posing.

"I see." She tried hard to suppress a giggle. "So, you're in this as much as I am."

"Only Blades will be scored, but I imagine that the judges will be influenced by how drivers present themselves with their Blades." I attempted another pose, this time with more zeal, and immediately felt silly about it.

"In that case…" She got up and started inspecting me. "I hate to say it, Rem, but you're going to bring us down at this rate."

"Are my poses _that_ bad?" I wasn't quite sure how to react to her candor.

"No, I mean your clothes are… y'know, dull." She slowly walked around me like I was a freshly-chiseled sculpture. "You're dressed like a commoner."

"A _commoner_?" I was taken aback by her sharp criticism. "Maybe you were right about being a social princess of Dosilla in the past. You're becoming snobbish."

"Maybe," she grinned smugly, "but right now, we need to find you better clothes."

"Aside from a few formal sweaters, all of my clothes are typical outfits for mercenary activities." I checked my dresser and closet to make sure. Until now, I hadn't realized how mundane my wardrobe was. And so, I conceded. "Fine, then. Tomorrow, we'll go shopping. Hopefully, we can find something Gormotti-style so that we match." Nia stood at the doorway, feeling proud of herself. "I'm just glad that you're finally digging this pageant idea."

"Aw shut it, you!" She stuck her tongue at me and marched off.

The next morning, Nia and I browsed through the shops until I found a finely-woven cardigan that complemented her color palette. With the appropriate attire obtained for the event, we turned our focus to rehearsing. We experimented with different entrances and exits over the next month, but ultimately, we decided that a simple strut would suffice. I had confidence in Nia's natural beauty to make a statement with the audience and judges. Additionally, I sent invitations to the Echell family to see the pageant. It became the talk of the town, until finally the big night arrived…

~ DOSILLA ~ [one month later, night of the pageant]

"Wow… look at all the people here…" I couldn't believe how packed Dosilla City was upon our arrival on opening night. It was our first time seeing it in its revived state. "These are definitely not the precarious ruins that I dug through when I found your core."

"Want to visit the old manor?" Nia read me like a book.

"I sure would." I checked my watch to see how much time we had until the pageant. "We've got an hour to spare."

"Then let's go!" She grabbed my wrist and led us upstream. It was surreal to walk along manicured streets with civilians in this city that had been known for centuries as a myth on the map. People were snapping pictures left and right, especially along the canal. (This is exactly what the queen wanted, I'm sure.)

At last we made it to the Kolier Manor at the upper-end of the city. Every room had been turned into exhibits to show how life appeared in the past. I couldn't tell if the furniture were originals or replicas.

"Pssst… Nia, look." I pointed at some portraits hanging on the wall. "The inscription says '_The Kolier Family, last known owners of the manor_'." I moved aside to let her have a closer look. "Any chance that you might remember them?"

"Nope," she answered carelessly. "Koliers… Echells… they're just names to me."

"If you say so." Disappointing me further was that she was completely absent in these portraits. "How come you're not curious about your past, Nia?"

"The past is the past. I care about the present." Her eyes focused on me when she said that. (I guess I should take that as a compliment.)

We left the foyer and made our way to the ballroom in the back. Upon entering, I had immediate flashbacks of the fateful day when I found her core here.

"Everything looks original, just touched-up to look nice again." I really wanted to have a romantic dance with her, but it would've been too embarrassing with other people nearby. (She probably danced in here with her old driver many times.)

We continued to tour Dosilla until it was time to go to the Country Club and prepare for the festivities. Inside, people who paid for admission were taking their seats in the audience chamber and talking amongst themselves. Once all seats were filled, people without tickets were allowed to stand in the rear.

"There are a lot of Blades in the audience," I observed. "I wonder if any of them wanted to participate…"

"Driver Remi! Blade Nia!" a familiar voice called out to us as we were about to go backstage.

"Special Inquisitor Càidh? …and Brighid?" I saw the high-powered pair standing to the side. "Well, this is a surprise."

"For you, indeed." He sounded pleased to see us despite our previous meeting. "I would say that I didn't expect to see you here either, but this _is_ your Titan, after all."

"Yes, and Nia is a participant in the pageant," I informed them. "Is Brighid entered, too?"

"Absolutely not. It would ill-befit the Special Inquisitor and me to participate," she answered for him.

"Oh… that makes sense." I should've known that people of their stature would attract bias, or worse, bring politics into an otherwise harmless affair. "So, then what _are_ you here for?"

"We're here to see this fresh, new city, and all that it can to offer to us." The Special Inquisitor smiled and tipped his hat at us. "As for the pageant, it seems we have someone to cheer for, now."

"Good luck," Brighid offered as a formality.

"Thanks." Nia gave them a curtsy in return.

"I hope you two enjoy your visit. It's showtime, so we must report backstage now." I waved goodbye to our former international teammates and tugged Nia along. Once we were backstage, I led her to a corner, away from the other participants.

"Something wrong, Rem?" She was properly confused.

"It's the Special Inquisitor…" I kept my voice low. "I believe he let slip more than he intended for us to know."

"Know? About what?" She dropped her hands together in front of her and tilted her head. "He was talking about this city. That much was obvious."

"Yes, but he called it _new_ and wanted to see what it had to _offer_, like he's canvasing it," I suspected. "What are they planning?"

"You're thinking too deeply into this," Nia dismissed. "It's probably nothing."

"I hope you're right…" Remembering where we were, I shook the thoughts out of my head. "We have a show to focus on, now, anyway." (I probably shouldn't have said anything. Can't have Nia getting distracted.)

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Dosilla City Country Club!" A well-dressed host commenced the pageant with a jubilant greeting over the microphone, and the audience responded with applause. "Here is the moment you've all been waiting for! The Kingdom of Prudentia is proud to present the Grand Beauty Blade Gala!"

"Everybody sounds so excited out there." I stood beside Nia as we waited in line with the other participants. As the curtains opened, I started to feel a little nervous. Nia remained calm and collected. (She can handle this. She's a veteran at this, even if it was from a past life.)

"Our first Blade is the elegant Eloise, accompanied by her driver Parky!" The host stepped aside and gave the floor to the first pair. We watched the Blade strike a few poses to the delight of the crowd. Next, her driver unsheathed a katana and handed it to her for a few more poses. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! That was lovely, simply lovely, Eloise!"

"I'm glad we aren't the first pair going up," I whispered to Nia, but she didn't say anything back.

"Our next Blade is the wonderful Koletta, accompanied by her driver Anders from Mor Ardain!" The host gave the floor to the next pair, and the crowd erupted.

"They love her, even though she's foreign," I whispered to Nia again, and this time she shushed me.

We were thirtieth in a line of fifty pairs of drivers and Blades. It was obvious to us that some people who signed up had dropped out. Eventually, it was our turn to show off.

"Our next Blade is Nia, the great healer, and her driver Remi!" The host moved out of our way as we walked on-stage. Nia went a few steps further and struck her poses, all of which were conservative and graceful. The crowd cheered her on, and she took it all in stride. After her third pose, I reached for her scimitar and presented it to her. She posed with it in ways that mimicked how we'd used it in battle. The crowd cheered louder. "Thank you! That was absolutely fabulous, Nia!" We took the host's cue and moved on.

"You did great out there," I told her as we joined the other participants who'd finished as well. "I'm so proud to be your driver." She turned around to face me with a careful smile. Her unwavering seriousness reminded me that there was still a second round in which a panel of judges would decide the finalists.

"There you have it, ladies and gentlemen! Fifty beautiful Blades have come and gone, every one of them a spectacular sight! And now it's time for the judges to compile their scores!" The host prepared the crowd for the next phase of the pageant. We all waited to hear what would happen next.

I started to wonder if Nia actually had a shot to win. All this time, I'd assumed that she would be among the favorites based on her victories in her past life, but I remembered that this was a different crowd with different tastes. Regardless, we were in it for fun.

"Will all the Blades please return to the stage?" the host beckoned aloud. I blew Nia a kiss and watched her get back on-stage with her competitors. Some of their drivers around me started cheering. "On a scale of one to ten, each Blade has been scored in three categories… posing alone, posing with her signature weapon, and of course, natural beauty. I will now call forward the Blades who received a perfect total score of thirty from any of our judges." The host waited for the cheering to subside. "Alright! Congratulations Dahlia, Akiko, Garland, Nia, Monique, and Danna! You attained a perfect score!"

I tried to contain myself as I watched my partner step forward, almost out of view. Compared to the other five finalists, she carried herself most properly and professionally. (I hope they don't think she's being too stiff…)

"Ladies and gentlemen, the judges have reached a final verdict!" The host then passed the microphone to one of the judges.

"Thank you," the elderly judge said as he took over momentarily. "We have come to an agreement on who shall be crowned. On behalf of the Dosilla City committee, we have chosen Monique as the winner of the Grand Beauty Blade Gala!" The crowd stood up and applauded the Blade deemed the most beautiful one of all.

"Congratulations to Monique! Will her driver please join her on-stage?" the host resumed. Everybody applauded as the driver received a crown which he placed on his Blade's head. "That's it, ladies and gentlemen! A winner has been declared! Thank you so much for attending tonight's event, as well as being here for the historic reopening of this fine city of Dosilla! See you next year!"

Photo opportunities began as people with cameras flocked to the front of the stage. Most of the Blades posed for them, but Nia returned to me immediately.

"You made it as a finalist! That's awesome! I knew you could…" I halted my praising when I saw a worried look on her face. "Nia? What's wrong?"

"I don't know…" She closed her eyes for a moment. "I could've sworn that I saw the silver Blade in the crowd."

"Silver Blade? You mean the one who ambushed us?" I asked, and she nodded. "Are you sure? Maybe you overworked yourself and were seeing things."

"But… he stared straight at me, and he smiled… at least, I think that's what I saw." She looked to me for answers, but I had none. "Should we alert the guards?"

"No," I quickly vetoed. "We don't want to cause a false alarm, especially if you're not even certain."

"Can we at least tell Brighid? She said he was her ally in the past." Nia stepped out to the audience chamber to search for her, but she spotted someone else instead.

"Nia! Remi!" a familiar voice called out to us for the second time tonight. It was Owen, and the rest of the Echell family were right behind him. "That was a grand performance!"

"Oh… hey!" Nia addressed our old friends, although she kept looking around for Brighid. "I didn't know you all were here!"

"Remi didn't tell you that we were invited?" Owen shook our hands anyway.

"Please forgive her," I said in her defense. "She's had a long night."

"Miss Nia…" Lord Echell moved forward and gazed upon her. His eyes were beaming like those of a proud father. "I am glad to have seen you on the stage, especially _this_ one of all. It's rather fitting that our family is able to experience this moment like our ancestors did in the Dosilla of old."

"_Our_… family?" Nia questioned.

"We consider you part of our family," he asserted.

"Ahem! Thank you for coming and supporting us! This really means a lot." I knew it'd get awkward if I didn't step in.

"Right…" Nia spotted young Tommy standing behind his father, and immediately her mood softened. "Hey, you. Thanks for coming to see me."

"Y-yeah, a-anything for you, Nia." Nervously, he reached out for a hug which she heartily accepted. I watched her stroke his hair caringly. They seemed to soothe each other's nerves. By now, we had lost sight of Brighid, Special Inquisitor Càidh, and the silver Blade who may never have been here at all. I felt safe to assume that Nia had imagined him and proceeded to guide the Echells around Dosilla. Lord Echell insisted on treating us to dinner at the Country Club's restaurant, and we would've been fools to refuse.

~ HAGAN ~

It was a long night, indeed. We said farewell to the Echells and returned home around midnight. I wasn't sure what to make of the experience. While Nia was disturbed by the sight of the silver Blade, real or imagined, I was disconcerted by the mysterious words of the Special Inquisitor.

"That was interesting, to say the least." I watched Nia drag herself like a wilted flower. "You okay?"

"Yeah, don't worry 'bout me." She kicked off her boots and plopped down on the couch. "Nothing bad happened… although, I _am_ a little wary."

"I think you imagined seeing the Blade in the audience." I sat next to her and she rested her tired feet over my lap. "It was probably from stress, and for that, I'm sorry. You entered the pageant just to please me, and you wound up frazzled."

"It's nothin'." She slid her feet off and scooted closer. "How many times have I made _you_ do something for me? I've practically been a burden on you."

"A burden? No way!" I quickly disagreed.

"C'mon, Rem," she contended, "if not for me, you wouldn't have put your life in danger. You wouldn't have been in the championship. You wouldn't have been recruited by Mor Ardain. You wouldn't have been abused in Uraya."

"Now wait a minute. Teaming up with Mor Ardain was my choice," I argued. "You can't blame yourself for the outcomes that resulted from that choice."

"Well, it's been on my mind." She paused for a moment and took my hand in hers. "Just think. You could've lived a calm, normal, safe life… and you wouldn't need therapy." I almost chuckled at the last part.

"If that's what it took to have this life with you, then it was worth it." It sounded clichéd when I said it, but it was the truth from my heart.

"_If that's what it took_…" she repeated with a yawn. "So, basically you agree that I'm a burden." The room fell silent next.

"Maybe," I eventually admitted, "but I'll never call you that."

"That's because you're too nice." She smiled through her fatigue.

"Lucky you." I got up and kissed her goodnight.

"Yup…" she sighed. "Lucky me."

There was little point in worrying about the presence of the dangerous silver Blade or the intentions of the Special Inquisitor. There wasn't anything that we could do about them. And so, we moved on from those preoccupations and continued with our lives on Prudentia, a Titan whose population was rapidly increasing.

I felt safer knowing that there was civilization beyond Hagan and the Prudentian Peaks. Some of our missions with the Solly Mercs called for us to help the immigrants settle into the new villages which surrounded the revived Dosilla City. Most of these people were Ardainians who were relieved to get away from their aging Titan, and we welcomed them with open arms.

Despite all the changes on Prudentia, life at home stayed the same. Perhaps Hagan Village needed some updates, but its antiquity didn't bother us. As long as Nia and I had each other, we were happy.

~ THE END… for now ~

Author's notes:

**We've reached the end of this arc of the story, but there's more to come in the future. As I'd mentioned in prior notes, Nia's role was initially filled by an OC Blade whom I'd visualized to look like Nia in her black-haired, red-outfit costume. This is largely why the setting is original. The first arc was inspired by fantasies of this OC Blade, from her discovery in a ruined city, to an ambush in Mor Ardain. This second arc was inspired by fantasies of Nia with Rex, notably the vacation in Fonsett, and the cupcake gift in Fonsa Myma. I don't have any particular inspirations for the upcoming third arc, so I'll just follow my outline and flesh out each event as it comes.**

**Every chapter has a wordcount between 3,000 and 4,000. I don't know why I've stuck with these boundaries, but they've caused a few scenes to be shifted or cut. Such edits are doable because this is an original story, and I think we all benefit from having less unnecessary text. Original stories with original settings seem quite uncommon. I see a lot of stories that either rewrite Rex's adventure to find Elysium or take place after the adventure is over.**

**This story has been a letter of admiration for Nia. She's the first character from any game, TV show, book, etcetera with whom I connected on a personal level. Specifically, it was her struggle and acceptance of who she was and where she belonged that resonated with me… and of course, her unrequited love. She and I are alike in those regards. I suppose I've written a little bit of myself into both her and Remi. My goal in sharing this story has been to bring joy to all Nia fans. Hopefully, I've accomplished this goal.**

**Questions and comments are welcome! Thank you for reading!**


	24. Fears of Consequence

"**A Past Life with Nia" returns for a third arc! New ideas keep coming in, so it's time to dive back into things. Writing has been more challenging but also more fun than I thought it would be. I hope my original setting and plotlines have offered a different perspective in the world of Alrest.**

**To summarize this story which is set about 100 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Nia is the Blade of a young mercenary and treasure-hunter named Remi, my original character. Remi's gender and appearance aren't specified so that you may put yourself in this role. Hagan is their home village, Sollerta is the neighboring town that includes their mercenary camp, Dosilla is a revived, historic river city, and Prudentia is the Titan on which these locations exist. Imagine a mountain range with vast, grassy plains gradually descending down either side.**

**As you've probably read in previous chapters, this story contains some lemon. The OC's thoughts are written in (parentheses). This chapter takes place eleven months after the previous chapter. Remi and Nia have enjoyed a peaceful year, but things are about to get interesting again. Thank you for reading! Please, carry on!**

Chapter 24 "Fears of Consequence"

~ HAGAN, of the Titan of Prudentia ~ [Eleven months later, now in the year 3966]

We'd been up late last night. Why? I couldn't quite remember. I didn't feel like thinking just yet. My pillow felt so comfy beneath my head that I didn't care how messed up my hair had become. I rolled to my side, and that's when a familiar scent hit me…

"Good mornin', Rem. Happy new year…" A voice so accented and soft could've only been Nia's. I didn't need to open my eyes to confirm it. After all, waking up alongside her had become common in these days of peace. I groaned lazily and reached for her shoulder with my heavy eyes still closed. Taking pity on me, she gingerly slipped herself under my arm and joined me on my pillow.

"That was pathetic, y'know?" She knew how to get a rise out of me. I finally opened my eyes to a squint and smiled just as she'd been doing.

"Give me a break. I've just woken up… _thanks to you_…" My comeback remark did little to faze her. "Besides, we've got nothing planned today. Nothing but a little rest and relaxation…"

"Are you sure you didn't sneak a sip or two at the party last night?" she wondered. "You look beat." Finally, I remembered. We'd spent last night celebrating the new year with Chief Reynold and the Solly Mercs.

"Come on, Nia. You know I don't drink." By now I felt a little less dead to the world. "You, on the other hand, had more than your usual share."

"T'was nothin' more than a slight headache," she assured me, or tried to, anyway. I didn't have anything else to add, so I closed my eyes again and enjoyed the ensuing spell of silence. It didn't last for long, however, as a bit of a commotion was soon heard from outside.

"Is… that… another tourist caravan?" I listened for the casual laughter and the faint creaking of wagon wheels as the armu-driven carriages slowly roved by. This was becoming a regular thing to hear in the morning, much to the dismay of everyone living in Hagan. (If only the main road wasn't so close to the house…)

"What're they up to?" Nia got out of bed and carefully peeked out the window with the curtains barely drawn. She spotted the wagons just as they were exiting our village and continuing up the road to the next one. There was no telling how far they'd go now that the other side of Prudentia was under development. "No offense, but I can't see what they'd find interesting on a Titan like ours."

"They're probably from another Titan," I ventured an easy guess. "If it looks different to them, they'll find it charming. You're from Gormott. Don't _you_ find certain places on Prudentia charming, especially Hagan?"

"Yeah…" she agreed, perhaps to humor me. "Boring, but charming." She turned around to face me with the muted, morning light cascading behind her. "What say we have a stroll out there and enjoy our _charming_ village?"

"Sounds like a capital idea. Help me out of bed, would you?" I asked as I reached out to her.

"Help yourself, you lazy arse!" She laughed fiendishly and scampered away before I could react. (Well… that was dumb…)

Once outside, I found the chilly air quite invigorating, if a little uncomfortable. The cobblestones were damp from the overnight mist which showed little sign of dissipating. Aside from a mother and child leaving the market, the village square was a lonely sight. In the distance, however, I spotted another tourist caravan coming up from Sollerta. It seemed like we were doomed to deal with them every day, no matter how much we disliked it.

Life on Prudentia had changed a lot in a year. With the successful revival of Dosilla City, commemorated by the Blade pageant in which we'd entered, both tourism and immigration had increased beyond expectations. The Solly Mercs were constantly tasked with helping to establish new settlements on the other side of the Titan. Nia and I both felt like regular tour guides with the number of new folks we'd spoken to personally.

"It's hard to believe that another year has gone by." I turned to Nia who merely shrugged her shoulders.

"Time is lost on me, I'm afraid," she lamented. "I only remember as far back as when I resonated from my core last. One year… two years… three… whatever. It's all a long blur."

"I hadn't thought of it like that." I lowered my voice down to hers, unsure if she'd sought sympathy with her listless remark. "We don't actually know how many years you've been around, living several lives with different drivers in the past. Maybe that's why you only care about the present." She quickly shot a sharp look at me like I'd said something offensive.

"Maybe…? I don't know. I don't think I'd want to retain hundreds of years of memories." She covered her forehead with both hands as if this idea were literally weighing heavily on her mind.

"Some Blades would do anything to keep their memories with them after they've returned to their cores. Brighid keeps a diary, after all," I recalled of our former teammate, the Jewel of Mor Ardain.

"_Good for her_. I'm sure she has _all_ the time in the world to flip through that." Nia's sarcasm was hardly tempered.

"Don't scoff so easily. _I've_ considered writing my own diary, and I'm not even a Blade." I expected to surprise her with my little divulgement, but she simply smiled, like she knew all along.

"And for whom would you be preserving _your_ memories, hmm?" Her mood seemed to brighten as the sun was beginning to break through the mist's veil.

"For _me_, of course!" I exclaimed like it were so obvious, but she looked confused. "It's not like I'm going to forget anytime soon, but it would be nice to… you know… read about all the good times we've shared." She nodded in understanding, although I got the feeling that she still didn't think it was worth the effort. "By the way, we'll be celebrating our third anniversary as driver and Blade this year."

"Can't wait for it, eh?" she joshed with a mischievous wink. "A lot can happen before then."

"Nothing got in the way of it last year," I happily reminded her, "unlike the first time."

"Yeah, but what a fantastic first time that was… once it actually happened. Nothing beats the first time." By now she and I were both fondly strolling down memory lane. Somewhere along the way, our hands had found each other. I felt a welcomed warmth course through me, although I wasn't sure if it was from our present closeness or from the memory itself. Either way, the morning chills were gone.

"I'm so grateful to have you with me." I felt her hand grip me tighter. "If last year went smoothly for us, then I don't see why this year can't be just as good."

"Let's hope. Life can be so flippin' random, y'know?" She spoke a truth that I was in no mood to accept right then. I was enjoying our walk which, by now, had brought us to the edge of the village where the road began to descend. Coming up towards us was the other tourist caravan that I'd spotted earlier. Instinctively, I let go of my partner's hand. The wagons slowed to a crawl upon the crest of the hill, giving their riders ample time to observe us, particularly Nia, with their eyes wide with wonder. For a moment, I thought that they were going to stop, but the hardy armus found their second wind and trudged forward.

"Really, Rem? After what you just said? Who cares if a bunch of strangers see us holdin' hands?" Hers were in fists, appropriately.

"Nia… we talked about this, remember? I thought we agreed to keep our relationship a secret." I really didn't want to reopen this topic. "Not everybody approves of our kind of relationship. It's not… socially accepted here."

"So? They're foreigners! They'll just have an extra little thing to tell their friends back home. It may not even be obscene to them! Besides, don't most of our mercs join so they can get Blade-booty? Doesn't seem like _they've_ got a problem with it." She brought up valid points, although her bawdy language still caught me by surprise.

"You're right, but… there's a fine line that people draw between an honest bond like ours and a… uh…" I suddenly found myself struggling for a polite way to put it.

"Hookup?" She made it sound so simple. "Rem, sometimes I think you police yourself too much. You can say whatever the 'ell ya want with me. What're you afraid of?" I watched the caravan continue up the road for so long that I almost forgot to answer.

"Three years ago, I was a 'nobody'. Now I… er, _we_ are local heroes. We've got the respect of everybody in Hagan and surely most people of Prudentia as well. But this Titan isn't all-inclusive. If people find out… about _us_, then…" I felt ashamed that I wasn't better prepared to explain, especially since it'd been a concern of mine after we'd revealed our feelings for each other long ago. "Nia, I don't want to be scorned again."

"_Again_?" She homed in on my last word, effectively changing the subject.

"School was rough," and I left it at that.

"Rem, hey… It's _me_ you're talking to." She draped her arm around my shoulder, a gesture that I didn't reject.

"In private, okay?" I inhaled sharply as I felt her body heat warm me back up from my cold recount. As it so happened, more people emerged from Sollerta, further reinforcing my reticence.

"Sure, later then." Concessions aside, she and I both knew that this discussion wasn't over, not in the slightest. "In the meantime, shall we head downtown? We're halfway there, anyway."

"Yes, let's." We'd wandered a fair distance away from home, and my tummy was rumbling for a hearty breakfast. "You up for an omelet glitterbake at the corner café?"

"Now you're talkin'! What're we waitin' for?" She reached for my hand but stopped short of taking hold. "Right… right…" Duly frustrated, her sigh was loud and clear. It was counterintuitive for us to avoid contact with each other in public in order to save face, but my fears were in control as we crossed town lines. (How long will she put up with this?)

~ SOLLERTA, neighboring town and home of the Solly Mercs ~

Unsurprisingly, Sollerta was a bustling hub with the late-morning rush of tourists pouring out of the hotels to begin their day of sight-seeing and shopping; most of them appeared to be Ardainian. Nia and I sat at a corner table and marveled at their exuberance outside while we enjoyed a nice, warm meal inside.

"Look at 'em. Everything is a discovery to 'em." She paid particular attention to a group of women sampling through rolls of fabric in an adjacent shop.

"It's like I said earlier. Prudentia hasn't been on anybody's radar until recently, so we've got lots to offer." I sat back and observed a rather large Gormotti family cross the street and enter the café; it had already been well-packed long before they arrived. "The omelet glitterbake we ordered is a Prudentian specialty. I wouldn't be surprised if the recipe caught on in other nations."

"We ought to learn it for ourselves so that we…" Nia got distracted when a small boy approached us from outside the café window and stopped just short of pressing his face against it. "Oh, why, hello there!" she greeted with a friendly wave.

"He can't hear you, Nia…" I stated the obvious, but she continued to attend to his innocent, curious stares. A minute later, his mother found him, and he pointed Nia out to her. Embarrassed, the woman took him by the hand and back into the sea of people they went.

"Wasn't that cute, eh?" she beamed, and I couldn't agree more. (Kids always seem to perk her right up.)

"Anyway, are you ready to head home?" I stood up and stretched, as did she. The males of the Gormotti family that had entered a minute ago took notice of her when we weaved our way out of the packed room.

Back outside, the sun was now in full shine, although winter still commanded a cruel breeze. In taking a different route through town, we passed by a newsstand with stacks of this morning's paper displaying a rather troubling headline.

"_Mor Ardain to Fall This Year_?" I didn't mean to blurt it out loud, especially with the proprietor nearby. Not normally a periodical-reader, I sprang for a copy and proceeded through the lead story. "_Alba Cavanich experienced its hottest heat-wave on record yesterday with a particularly dangerous spike in temperature shortly after noon. As with the other spikes recorded last year, Ardainian officials attribute this to the Titan's aging body. Some fear that the end may be near_…"

"Exaggerating a bit, don't you think?" Nia had been reading it with me over my shoulder. "You suppose this is why there are so many Ardainian tourists here, now?"

"I don't know about tourists, but it might explain the recent increase in Ardainian immigrants in the back country." I referred to all the people we'd helped settle into their new homes on the other side of Prudentia last year. "I fear what might happen if we get too many of them, though."

"Too many?" she repeated quizzically. "You're startin' to sound like our chief, y'know? He's always worryin' that the whole empire will try to move in on us."

"It's not so unrealistic," I still contended. "I'm afraid that the emperor might try to take advantage of our… _comparatively-blank slate_."

"You're overthinkin' again, Rem." She briskly snatched the newspaper from me. "That's enough doomsday-reading. For all you know, it could be propaganda!"

"Possibly," I conceded an inch, "but I'd rather not be caught sleeping if there's a revolt."

"Do you hear yourself?!" she raised her voice, although it seemed to blend in with the rest of the street chatter. "This ain't something that you can control!"

"Says the Blade who wanted to help stop a war!" I called back to one of her past aspirations, perhaps in a more retaliatory manner than I'd intended. "Maybe a revolt is farfetched, but you can't deny that this is affecting our way of life."

"I _will_ admit that it was nicer with less folks around." As much as she tried to dismiss it, she knew that this story was ever-present and persistent. Whatever the reason was, our streets were undoubtedly louder and more crowded than ever. "C'mon… let's go home. I think I've got a headache after all."

~ HAGAN ~

Not quite yet noon, we returned to Hagan only to find more tourists hanging around. People filled both the local restaurant and market to capacity, and some were loitering by Nia's favorite fountain. Upon seeing us, one of these strangers took out a camera and promptly aimed it at us. (How brazen can you get?)

"You'd think they'd never seen a Blade before." Nia stared them down until they got the hint and shuffled to the other side of the fountain. We waited for them to disappear completely before we made our way back home. The last thing we needed were peeping-toms.

"Oh? What's this?" As we approached the house, I noticed a personalized letter on the doorstep. The lavish envelope bore the official emblem of Gormott. "I can't remember the last time I got mail that wasn't merc-related." Nia retrieved it for me while I fumbled for the housekey.

"It's from your beau," she sneered and tossed it to me as we went inside.

"My _beau_?" I inspected the envelope which listed the House of Echell as the return address. "Owen Echell is not my beau!"

"He's the only one who sends you letters like this!" She was right, but that was beside the point.

"I don't have any other friends!" I defended myself, pitifully, before adding "…who live far enough away to require letters!" My endearing Blade simply chuckled at my exasperation caused by her. Agitation aside, I joined her in the kitchen where she prepared her usual cup of tea. As for the letter…

"_Dear Esteemed Remi_," it began, with flourish. "_I trust that you and Nia are in good health as we move into a new year on Alrest. As always, the House of Echell continues to seek new opportunities and business ventures from Titan to Titan. And to that end, I am personally representing my father, Lord Edward Echell of Torigoth, on a series of visits around Alrest to meet with prospective partners_…"

"What a bore…" Nia cut in, carelessly. "Why's he tellin' you this?"

"Hmm…" I resumed my reading, this time to myself. "Looks like one of his visits will be to Prudentia, specifically the Sollerta Chamber of Commerce in a few days. He wants to meet us."

"You think he's gonna ask you to find another long-lost Blade?" she joked ironically.

"Actually, he wishes to discuss… my old schoolhouse?" I read the last part of the letter again to make sure.

"Your school?" Her expression softened, as if she were ready to finally take it seriously. "You've mentioned it a few times, but you haven't actually shown it to me."

"You never showed any interest. Besides, I don't exactly have happy memories from there. Like I said earlier, school was rough." I should've kept my mouth shut, but now Nia was curious.

"You were an orphan then, right? …I see." She tapped the bottom of her teacup and searched for something else to say, but I didn't need it.

"Yes, but I got through it." I tucked the letter away in a drawer with other old notes that I'd saved over the years.

"Rem…?" She inched closer, enough that I could smell the tea's mint in her breath. "You wanna talk about it now?"

"Oh, it was nothing major in particular," I started to recant. "I was being too cryptic, earlier."

"I won't tease you about it," she promised, with a warm hand firmly on my arm to accentuate herself.

"You sure? That's exactly what happened all the time, back then." I saw the two of us looking a little pathetic in our reflection in the window.

"The other kids teased you, huh?" she ascertained from my still-dodgy wording. "What exactly did they do, though?"

"The usual pranks… One started a rumor and the whole schoolyard talked about it… that I wore totsy-rompers." Sensing a reaction, I slowly turned to her, and sure enough, she couldn't keep a straight face.

"Sorry! I'm _sorry_!" although her laughter betrayed her. "It's just… the way you said it sounded funny…"

"Okay! Okay…" I let her off the hook and resigned to the couch with an exhausted sigh. "It seems silly now. Like I said, I got over it."

"Yeah, you got over it, but that wasn't the worst, was it?" She knew there was more. As much as I didn't like talking about my past, her interest in it was heartening, at the very least. I waited for her to sit next to me before I continued.

"I had a best mate in school," my voice kept low. "We were all orphans, so we had that in common. By our teen years, we talked about everything that two good friends could talk about. I thought I could tell them anything, including something… _private_."

"Uh oh…" She knew where this was going. "Your mate squealed to the whole class, eh? Creepy little cuss."

"That's right." I felt an odd relief in not having to tell the ending myself. "So, you see why I'm apprehensive about letting our secret out? We're not considered 'normal' to most folks."

"I understand, Rem, but I also want you to understand this from my point of view, too." She sipped the last of her tea before taking her turn. "No true, honest bond between two lovers should ever be hidden in shame. This is how we are. We can't keep living by other people's standards."

Again, she was right. I knew she was right, yet I couldn't bring myself to agree outright. If there was one thing that I learned from today, it was that my fears of consequence were more fervent than I'd previously thought. The internal struggle must've been plain on my face; and seeing that I wasn't going to come up with a response anytime soon, she left me alone to gather my thoughts, except that they were all over the place. As the seconds ticked on, I started to concentrate on the sounds of her washing her teacup in the kitchen instead.

"You'll come around on it, I know you will." She saw my reflection in the window as I rejoined her and slowly wrapped my arms around her from behind. Once she shut the water off, the silence hit my ears like a vacuum.

"I'll give it a try," I spoke at last, knowing that I was disappointing her. "This hasn't been the smoothest day off we've ever had, huh?"

"It wasn't bad by any means." She turned her head so that I could nip her on the cheek. "What's on tap for tomorrow, then?"

"Want to head back down to the Solly Mercs?" I offered, sensing that she'd rather not mill around again. "They should be sober by then."

"You bet! I was hoping you'd ask." She spun around to complete the embrace, much to my delight. "Oh, wait… what about Owen?"

"His gig is in a few days," I recalled from his letter. "I'd like to meet him if that's okay with you. I know he rubs you the wrong way."

"I'll go, don't worry!" she reassured me. "We go everywhere together, anyway."

"Right…" I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic, but it mattered not. "Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't been more open about everything. I didn't realize I was such a problem-child."

"Aw, Rem, c'mon now…" Still holding on, she closed what little space was left between our faces with a delivery potent enough to bring confidence back to anyone. "You've just got fears, and slowly but surely you'll conquer them."

"Thank you, Nia." What driver on Alrest was luckier than I? My bonny Blade was just the person I needed to help me move on from my past, and more importantly, grow as a person.


End file.
